**Van (Yuki). Gasai Island**
It's comforting that the world of Avatar has a certain stillness to it, which helps me avoid making mistakes in mundane tasks familiar to archipelago dwellers, thanks to Kenji's life experiences.
One of the women was the ship's captain, and she allowed me to sail with them to the capital free of charge. To express my gratitude, I had to recall the not-so-complex etiquette of the Fire Nation. It was enough to place the back of my right fist against the vertically held left palm and formally speak words of thanks.
For several hours, I helped them gather herbs, and as the sun set, we boarded the ship for the return journey.
The girls were quite tired after a full day of searching for the right plants, so there were no questions during the trip. Besides, after observing me all day, they hadn't found anything suspicious about me, apart from my exotic appearance.
While I rested in the assigned cabin, Roku and Yuki went further, and the airbender decided to take the name Yo. He'll stay in the Library for now.
We made a stop at a notable place called Jang Hu—a small fishing village built on stilts right in the middle of the river of the same name.
The herbalists were supposed to leave some of today's harvest here to help the villagers. The thing is, just a few months ago, a new metallurgical plant was built here, and of course, its waste is dumped into the river. It hasn't been long, but the few villagers have already started falling ill.
"Please relocate to other islands! I repeat, housing and jobs will be provided! You already have sick people among you, your health is paramount!" a stranger in Fire Nation military attire stood on a small platform, urging them to move.
From the whispers of the gatherers, I learned that half of Jang Hu's residents had already left. They were indeed given the promised housing and jobs. Only the most stubborn remained, mostly elderly people unwilling to leave the homes they'd lived in their entire lives.
Judging by the cartoon, at some point they'll simply be abandoned, and the village will truly begin to die out…
I don't sense any spiritual energy, so the Flower Lady has likely already left this place.
It brings back memories from the past. Similar situations existed in almost every region, and you often find yourself asking, "What will we leave for our children?"
Clearly, no one enjoyed seeing such scenes, and the ship was filled with an uncomfortable, if not depressive, atmosphere.
We reached the capital at dusk, or rather, they did. I took the opportunity to slip away quickly. Thanks to Yu Yan's archery skills, I managed to reach the dock by water—the distance was short, and the twilight concealed my movements.
Once on land, I found a surface that reflected my face. It was time to quickly alter my appearance. After five minutes of work, I was unrecognizable.
The next important task was clothing. Strutting around in a woman's cloak styled like shorts, as I see it, isn't a great idea. Following the best traditions of Team Avatar, I simply… borrowed the necessary clothes. I think they'll forgive me—after all, I'll be saving the world here in the future.
As wonderful as it would be to sleep on the ground amidst nature, my backside is too spoiled and craves only a bed, or at worst, a mattress beneath it. The timing was perfect—as they say, when the city sleeps, the mafia wakes.
I found a small park, sat by a tree, and tuned my super-sensitive hearing to pick up everything within a two-kilometer radius—a comfortable coverage zone where I could still clearly distinguish all voices.
"The Fierce Tigers gang is encroaching on our territory again. What should we do, boss?" one whispered nervously.
"The fireworks shop on Red Dragon Street has missed payments for days now," another rasped, his voice coming from a different part of my range.
Every society has such elements, and the Fire Nation capital is no exception. But right now, I just want to get some money. Cleaning up these streets can wait until I'm well-known—it'll boost my reputation.
After about fifteen minutes, I heard the boss of the Flickering Hawks gang—they certainly have powerful names—ordering a trusted subordinate to deliver the "honestly" earned loot to a secret stash.
All I had to do was follow the guy and claim the riches. I took as much as I could and headed to one of the capital's finest inns. Next came a hot bath, a pleasant massage from the local beauties, and a comfortable bed.
*
Rumors spread like wildfire, or as they say, let those with ears hear—especially with my natural radar. The Fire Lord's Palace is an entire complex of buildings where not only the Fire Lord's family resides but also all government meetings take place. Like any grand structure of a royal lineage, it's constantly staffed by a vast number of servants: slaves, maids, cooks, guards, gardeners, cleaners, and more.
You're unlikely to uncover any secrets this way, but I just needed basic information—things that are already common knowledge. So, what did I learn?
Azulon is still alive. Despite his venerable age, the old man is still going strong and has no plans to die, unless someone "helps" him. Lu Ten, son of Crown Prince Iroh, has indeed left this world, which is why the Dragon of the West has lifted the siege on Ba Sing Se. Rumor has it that the second prince, Ozai, has grown cold toward his wife since the birth of their second child and no longer visits her. Nearly a third of the palace maids have shared Azulon's bed… Alright, I think that's enough information.
My integration into this new-yet-old Fire Nation society is going well. It's only been a week, and I already feel like a native islander. I've been to the theater, local tea houses, and simply wandered the city, absorbing the local mindset like a sponge.
Yo hasn't been idle either. He's been scouring the vast Fire Nation section of Wan Shi Tong's Library. Thanks to his help, we've devised a plan that will let me bypass the usual career ladder and get closer to the highest ranks.
To understand the scheme, we need to start from afar—specifically, from the years when the current Fire Lord's family, their distant ancestors, first took the helm of an entire nation. As in the rest of the world, power has been seized, transferred, and lost by various families. The Fire Lord Azulon's lineage can be linked to one family that has been by their side since the beginning. These families didn't have formal names, but this particular family had one unique trait—green firebending. Not all members had this unusual ability—it was rare—but the trait became associated with them.
For many generations, this family served the Fire Lords as their chief advisors, responsible for national security. The family died out relatively recently, about 100 to 120 years ago. In fact, the current Fire Lord Azulon's mother was from this family. Based on these facts alone, it's clear they had immense trust from the royal family.
I know people in power aren't sentimental, but why not try to pass myself off as a member of this family?
Wan Shi Tong has already helped me unravel the family's main "gimmick"—how could he not know?
As we know, to create fire, a firebender channels their chi at the start. You could call firebending energy the gas in a silicon lighter, and the wheel—chi. In this family, a mutation occurred: some members' chi flows continuously with the flame, meaning both firebending energy and chi are expended simultaneously. This, by the way, is why carriers of this flame suffered—a deficit of chi isn't conducive to a long life.
And no, green firebending didn't heal; it wasn't even more powerful than ordinary flames. Fire isn't like water, which is nearly a perfect conductor of chi. But there was one advantage: green fire, for lack of a better word, "repelled" other flames.
It's worth noting that while bending comes from spirits, chi has always been inherent to humans. In the human world, and in general, I think it holds more "weight," a certain percentage of reality. Bending is more "ephemeral," while chi is more "tangible." This is why green firebending was supposedly "stronger" than ordinary firebending, though its potential was never fully realized, so it wasn't extensively documented in the chronicles. Who in their right mind would hurl fire when, after just a minute of fighting, you clearly feel unwell? They didn't have my reserves of chi—they were in a much worse state. I, however, will be able to fully realize this bending's potential.
Admittedly, I'm still struggling to control this flame. It's more "willful," requiring me to keep both the source of fire and chi in check as they constantly "compete" for dominance.
Fortunately, I have two more weeks to practice. After that, the annual Firebending Tournament will take place, coinciding with the annual military draft. By showcasing your firebending skills at the tournament, you can leap straight to an officer's rank. That's why only future enlisted soldiers and people under a certain age are allowed to compete. I've heard there are many who don't want to be mere cannon fodder in war and try to delay their enlistment to build strength and demonstrate their abilities at the tournament.
The qualifying rounds start tomorrow. After all, the skills of several thousand firebenders, arriving from all the islands, need to be assessed.
Only twenty warriors will reach the finals, where they'll perform in the main arena under the watchful eyes of high-ranking officials and the Fire Lord himself. That's where I'll unveil my flame—I don't think the Fire Lord will remain indifferent.
From what I've read, the family was wiped out almost entirely in a single year. Some supposedly died of old age, others in accidents, some were killed in war, and others were poisoned. It's worth noting that they were a thorn in the side of nearly all aristocrats because, within their authority, they could conduct inspections at any moment.
Curiously, it was precisely during this time that the Fire Sages became highly active. I think it's clear who was behind all these actions. At the time, Azulon was leading a victorious campaign through the Earth Kingdom, which consumed the lion's share of his strength and attention.
Like any family engaged in the same line of work, the "green firebending" family exhibited professional deformation. Constant vigilance—these words succinctly describe them. They sought hidden motives everywhere, probed for details, and did everything to uncover the truth. Now, I think it's clear why they were eliminated. In one general's memoirs, it's written: "Don't befriend the greens; in any situation, they'll be the first to dig into you."
"Good morning, Auntie," I bowed to the innkeeper.
"Good morning, Van. Are you off to train again?" she greeted me with a smile. "I wish I had a son-in-law like you for my daughter. Don't mind her looks," she began earnestly, taking my hand. "She's very domestic, and my time isn't infinite. This way, you won't be left without money," she winked at the end.
"I think she deserves better," I gently but firmly removed her hand. Her daughter is two heads taller than me, and her build matches her height. I'm not implying anything, but I think even my horse-like stamina wouldn't save me…
"It's so hard being handsome," I thought, walking away into the rising sun, my hair blowing in the wind.
"Ugh," I muttered as a strand of hair fell into my mouth, ruining the moment!