Our return to Yu Dao passed without incident. Well, unless one counted Ty Lee's circus leaving for parts unknown, which meant I didn't get the chance to see the girl again. Though expecting anything else would've been foolish—the circus was traveling, after all.
But back to business.
The hawks I'd sent to the Fire Lord carrying copies of the blueprints and sketches of the hot-air balloon—supported by my testimony confirming the existence of a fully functional flying prototype—returned with a brief resolution:
"Provide the Mechanist with any resources upon first request. Assign two secretaries to record his every word at any time of day or night. Deliver the working prototype to the Capital. Secure the engineer's loyalty to the Fire Nation."
The Herald responsible for delivering such valuable news earned praise for his dedication to the nation's prosperity and encouragement to continue in the same vein.
Upon arriving in the city, I immediately got to work on Morishita, leaving the transport of the prisoners and the quartering of the detachment to Suki.
The mayor received me without delay and immediately invited me for tea, instructing an assistant to postpone all remaining appointments for the day. He looked distinctly anxious and troubled.
"Chan, I'm glad to see you in Yu Dao again! Planning to head south?"
"Hm?" I raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Well, logically, after inspecting the north, I was expected to continue farther south. But with all due respect, there was no way the governor would postpone all his business and private meetings just to "drink tea" with a guest in some side office.
"So you haven't heard yet. The entire nation's been shaken by the news for nearly four days now. The Avatar has returned!"
And there was the source of Morishita's concern.
Not surprising. Even I felt a jolt at the words, despite having expected the Avatar's return for quite some time and already gone through more than enough chaos lately. So what was some peaceful bureaucrat supposed to feel?
"How reliable is this information?"
"They say Prince Zuko and General Iroh encountered him personally. The report came from Commander Zhao's base, where they were forced to stop for repairs after their ship sustained heavy damage. In addition, rumors claim that Avatar Roku's temple emitted some kind of mystical glow shortly beforehand."
"Yes… unpleasant news." I leaned back in thought. "And perhaps I really should move farther south... Just in case."
"Of course," the mayor nodded, apparently concluding that I intended to join the race for the Avatar's head.
A perfectly logical assumption. After all, whoever delivered the Avatar's head—preferably attached to the body—would instantly rise to a level of influence second only to the Fire Lord himself and perhaps Princess Azula.
"I took the liberty of issuing the necessary orders regarding a ship," Morishita continued. "Unfortunately, your cruiser is still far from fully repaired, but we have several frigates in port that can nearly match raiders in speed."
"Thank you, Morishita. You've saved me a great deal of time." I placed a hand over my chest and inclined my head respectfully. Under circumstances like these, a full bow wouldn't have been inappropriate, but we were seated at the table and the atmosphere was informal.
"Oh, no, no," the stout man replied, visibly flustered. "It's the least I could do for you, Chan."
"Then I'd like to ask one more favor of you."
"Anything within my power," the city governor assured me, putting on an expression of utmost seriousness.
"I've brought nearly four hundred refugees with me. They need to be settled somewhere in the outskirts of the city. And one of them requires workshop space and assistants."
I handed the man the dispatch bearing the Fire Lord's seal.
"Of course. It's my duty both as governor and simply as a human being." My companion nodded after quickly scanning the document. "You didn't even need to ask."
"Yes, but there's something I'd like for myself as well. The man in question—the Mechanist—has developed a flying machine. Its potential is enormous, but unfortunately, I don't have time to wait for it to be perfected and fully realize that potential. In the matters ahead, aerial reconnaissance may prove useful. This genius's balloon is already capable of that much, but you saw Lord Ozai's orders yourself."
Aerial scouting really would come in handy. Just not for hunting down the airbender. Trying to gain air superiority over a flying monk riding a flying bison with a single hot-air balloon was a sure sign of complete idiocy.
Now, scouting a vast flat desert from above in order to locate the tower of a certain library I was interested in? That was a far more believable task. And it would save me a tremendous amount of time too.
Granted, I'd have to approach from the south, skirting around Kyoshi instead of coming down from the north, but relatively neutral cities were still infinitely preferable to crossing the front lines and trudging along the edge of swamps.
"And you wish to use Yu Dao's industrial capabilities to construct another one?" Had I mentioned before that Morishita was an exceptionally smart man?
"Exactly." I nodded.
"We can certainly try. But you understand, Herald, reproducing something entirely new in a short amount of time is not always possible, even with both the inventor and a working model present."
"I know. But it's better to spend a couple extra days now than wander aimlessly for weeks later simply because I don't know where to go."
"Well said. More tea?" The mayor reached for the teapot.
(End of Chapter)
P@treon: /SadRaven
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