**Air Island Temple. Morning. Yuki-Wan-Roku-Yo.**
I only managed to fully relax a week after Koh's death. Until then, countless worries about the Mother of Faces plagued my mind. From the records of the local Wan Shi Tong, who loves gathering information even on his allies, the light spirits—I knew the Mother of Faces had no contact with her "son." In fact, she harbored clear disdain for him.
According to the Spirit of Knowledge, long ago, the Mother of Faces nearly succumbed to the dark side but managed to overcome it by separating a fragment of dark energy from her being. That fragment eventually became the Face Stealer. For some reason, she couldn't destroy the lesser spirit she had created, allowing him to escape. Over millennia, he became an ancient spirit with unique abilities, using them to evade detection. I feared her dark fragment's death might affect her, making her seek my attention. While I've grown powerful enough to rival ancient spirits, who knows the Mother of Faces' true strength? She can't be weak if even her tiny fragment became a formidable ancient spirit. But so far, everything seems fine…
"Dad! Mom!" Tomoko burst into the room, leaping onto the bed where Ursa and I were still lounging. "Time to get up!" Before either of us could respond, our blanket was swept away by a gust of wind.
"No personal space with kids around," I chuckled, quickly catching the troublemaker.
"Let me go!" she laughed as I started tickling her.
"The moment we leave the Palace, all your manners vanish," Ursa sighed, carefully getting out of bed. The previous night's activities left a pleasant soreness in her lower body.
"I don't like the Palace," Tomoko said seriously, puffing out her cheeks.
"I don't think Azula would mind if you stayed here," I said, ruffling my daughter's hair. "Honestly, it's long overdue to get you out of that cesspool."
Tomoko's birth didn't align with Ozai's death, so everyone knew Ursa was carrying another man's child. By then, Azula and I were already married, making me the prince consort. People had long seen our close—perhaps too close—relationship with Ursa, so connecting the dots wasn't hard. There was no unrest; everyone knew my power, but whispers and gossip spread through the Palace and beyond. Azula silenced the loudest tongues, making it clear what happened to those who spoke out. Still, the stares never stopped. Because of this, Tomoko never made real friends…
"You'll study with Shika," I continued, hugging my daughter tightly. Convincing Azula was tough; she adored her niece and didn't want to part with her for long. But even the most stubborn mind could see the Palace atmosphere, especially for Tomoko, was no place for a growing child.
Even Zuko, who rarely visited his homeland, agreed. It's a shame cameras are still in development; I'd have loved to capture Zuko's face when he learned he had a little sister. A year ago, he had his own child, who'd one day become mayor of Yu Dao. That event seemed to push Iroh to move in with his nephew. It looks like the Dragon of the West finally achieved one of his dreams; for months, rumors have spread across the Earth Kingdom about a new teashop called "Jasmine Dragon."
* * *
**Several months later. Training grounds of the Air Island Temple.**
"Today's lesson is about control," I announced to my students, creating a stone stool with earthbending and sitting on it. Shizuka, Jun, and Ursa watched me seriously. Slightly ahead of them stood our children, looking down at their mothers with a hint of superiority. After all, they were more skilled benders! Their little heads forgot their moms had only gained their bending abilities weeks ago.
I'd long wanted to give my wives bending abilities. As I always say, situations vary, and you never know what's coming. It's better for them to have their own elements. With the world at peace—Vatú's fragment missing, Koh gone, even Tienhai's crime wave calming—it's a good time to strengthen my loved ones. Besides, my chi isn't my strongest tool now; the life energy flowing through me gives me enough confidence in my inner circle's safety.
As expected, Ursa unlocked airbending, Shizuka earthbending, and Jun surprised everyone with firebending talent. Next are Mei and Ty Lee—they'll need bending too. After all, against an aggressive spirit, they'd be helpless. I think within months, my students will grow in number. The time needed for my recovery has shrunk to a month. I can manage two more months without bending.
"You're lost in thought again, dear," Ursa said through our mental link.
"Start explaining already!" Shizuka said too loudly. She's still getting used to this new form of communication. It gets tricky when too many people with similar connections gather; the "channel" clogs with voices, making it hard to tell who's speaking.
"What separates a master from a student isn't the number of techniques or the scale of moves, but control," I said, mostly for the girls. My wives are adults; they understand. But the girls still love to strike hard. I won't deny there are moments when that approach is needed, but not always.
Two hours later, Chitara entered the training ground, stretching seductively. One of my eyes kept wandering her way… I don't think I'll ever tire of watching her ample assets sway or her curvaceous backside protrude. That devil knows how it excites me, and she uses it to her advantage. My wives don't mind Chitara, but they're still observing her.
"Hi, everyone!" she greeted warmly, approaching us. I'm also teaching her bending, but someone prefers lounging in the sun, so our sessions are irregular.
"Hi!" the children cheered. She's definitely won their hearts; the playful cat enjoys spending time with them.
"Stupid cat," Jun hissed quietly as Chitara's tail tip brushed her nose. There's no real animosity between them, but Jun disliked Chitara from the start. Seeing Jun's reaction, the spirit began teasing the former mercenary.
One night, I asked Jun about her attitude toward Chitara. It turns out the roots of the problem go back to her early childhood. With a father who collects animals, their home was practically a petting zoo. Many animals in his collection were small enough to live in their spacious house. Needless to say, such neighbors aren't ideal. Torn clothes and scattered items marked her youth. The cats were the worst: cat-owls, whiskered cats, dwarf pumas, and regular house cats. This world has countless cat species, so their house had plenty. As long as she could remember, they were at war, and her father wasn't always on her side…
Once, I managed to convince Jun to take me to her parents' home. Her father was an odd character. It was clear he loved his daughter, but from a distance. Later, Jun told me her father still grieved for her mother, who died during childbirth. As Jun grew, she resembled her mother more… Likely, her father saw his lost love in her, keeping his wounds fresh. I think that's why he dove into his hobby—to spend less time with his daughter.
Jun knew almost nothing about her mother, and her father rarely spoke of their past. At some point, my curiosity led me to dig through Wan Shi Tong's library, which now copies even the most secret data.
Some of my suspicions were confirmed. Jun's mother was born on the Fire Nation islands and was a former aristocrat. Her family failed to establish themselves in the "serpentarium," and as often happens, they became inconvenient. Likely, they were just pawns in a political game among stronger families. In the end, only Jun's mother survived. Honestly, looking at Jun, you'd never guess she was born in the Earth Kingdom… Her skin tone, eye shape, almost every feature screams she's from the Fire Nation.
The lesson continued in a cheerful atmosphere, thanks to the banter between Jun and Chitara, and the little benders, who hilariously assisted their moms.
* * *
**Tienhai. Police Headquarters. Conference Hall.**
Thousands of officers gathered in the massive conference hall, none knowing why. Countless quiet voices created a serious hum. At the front sat the highest-ranking officials, with lower-ranking officers filling the rows behind them.
Soon, General Shen—a figure tolerated by both firebenders and earthbenders—stepped onto the stage. Back when he was a Fire Nation captain, he was neutral, even slightly positive, toward citizens of the enemy state.
"From today onward, you must attend this hall weekly," his aged but powerful voice boomed. "To avoid disrupting main duties, each department will have its own schedule. Listen carefully! That's all…" He stepped aside, making way for an unknown man.
"Each meeting will begin with me reading Tienhai's moral and ethical police code," the man's deep voice echoed through the hall, almost enchanting the minds of those listening—it was hard not to want to hear him again.
"I consider it my duty to serve humanity: to protect peaceful citizens from violence and disorder, to defend them…" No one made a sound; every person in the hall seemed spellbound.
"From what I've heard, the Dai Li did something similar," a young officer, new to the force, thought to himself. "The tone, speed, volume—it's a form of hypnosis… Soon, the minds of these officers will have subtle implants, helping them be true policemen. It's genius." Of course, it won't stop the completely corrupt, but the truly bad apples will stand out against the "proper" officers.
No detail escaped Cheng's notice. Many would call his abilities a gift; with a glance, he could understand a person's occupation, recent activities, and a wealth of other information that stayed permanently in his mind. But he called his perfect memory and strong deduction—curses.
At first, they helped him survive. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to feed and clothe his sister after their parents died in Ba Sing Se's lower ring.
Trading information brought enough income for fresh bread and milk. Cheng knew what and to whom he could speak. He never revealed his true abilities; otherwise, he'd have been dragged into a gang. No, he wanted to marry off his sister peacefully and raise his own children. Unfortunately, not all wishes come true…
At some point, a new gang appeared in their neighborhood, unafraid of even the darkest work. Typical thugs who'd be wiped out by other gangs in a couple of months. Even the criminal underworld had its principles; cross them, and you become a common enemy.
It would have been better if he hadn't worked those days, but he was eager to surprise his little sister on her birthday. He needed money. Like in a cheap detective novel, the thugs took an interest in him. He didn't consider himself a strong fighter, so he immediately agreed to join their gang. Better that than dying—who would then care for his younger sister?
That same day, those very thugs burst into his small sanctuary from the cold outside world, offering him a place in their gang while omitting one detail… Every gang member undergoes a "break." They find your weakness, not just to press it, but to crush it mercilessly!
They quickly found his vulnerable spot…
Now, every night, the same nightmare haunts him. Those thugs holding his eyes open, forcing him to watch as five men brutalized his sister. They didn't care about her young age… they didn't care about anything. They simply reveled in their power.
"Brother!" His sister's plaintive voice still echoes in his ears. A sister who's no longer alive. Her small body couldn't endure such monstrous abuse.
"Damnable benders!" He clenched his fists until they hurt. "Every one of them deserves death!" It's worth noting that only two were benders—the gang leader and his right-hand man—but Vatú's fragment and his hatred led him to one conclusion: "Benders equal evil."
"Need to calm down," he began doing breathing exercises. Then he refocused on the speaker. If he remembers everything well, he can try to replicate this "hypnosis." Their organization could definitely use such a tool. "Probably, other fields will do something similar…" After all, it's not just policemen who can be "improper," but also officials, judges, and even ordinary workers.
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