[Fanfic]: Meetings
Title: Meetings
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Characters: Hyo (OC), Long Feng
Rating: G
Summary: Minister Long Feng and Commander Hyo met four times before Hyo assumed his present rank.
Notes: Merry Christmas, Bex!
一
"We're being watched," Hyo softly remarked.
The five trainees were sprawled under a tree in the Agrarian Zone, theoretically studying some earthbending scrolls. In practise... well, it was a warm spring day. Rithisak, Kyung, and Dato had all shed their outer robes and were dicing; gold-eyed Hu was curled up asleep with his head on Hyo's thigh. Hyo himself had been reading some novel or another, until the sensation of being watched had disrupted him.
At his words, however, Rithisak looked up and around at the tall robed figure. His eyes flew wide. "The Cultural Minister!" he breathed. The three Ba Sing Se boys practically flew upright to bow politely. Hyo was slower to rise -- he didn't want to unceremoniously dump poor Hu on his head.
The minister looked them all over, but his gaze lingered the longest on Hyo. At last he said, "It's a pleasure to meet the future of the Dai Li." His voice was mild, his expression calm, but Hyo felt a sudden surge of fear/hostility/longing. "What skills do you bring us?" the minister asked.
Rithisak spoke up before Dato could. "I'm a student of history and strategy, minister," he said. "Kyung is an actor, Dato is skilled at blending in, Hu is silver-tongued, and Hyo--" He hesitated. Dai Li were usually recruited for subtle skills, after all.
The silence stretched long enough that the minister raised an eyebrow.
"I was recruited for my combat ability," Hyo said at last, meeting jade eyes.
To his surprise, the minister smiled. "I see," he said, and Hyo knew the man was well aware of who they all were and why they had been recruited.
二
"Agent Hyo."
Hyo looked up from his paper. "Minister," he said, acknowledging the older man's presence with a careful bow. Carefully he laid his brush aside. "How can I help you?"
Long Feng didn't reply immediately; his gaze had fallen on Hyo's paper. The young man resisted the urge to cover his work. Finally, the Cultural Minister said, "We have books on Han-Guk culture."
Only the strictest control over his face kept Hyo from sneering. "I've read them, Minister," he said calmly. "The writing is biased."
Long Feng raised an eyebrow at this statement. "The books were written by professors of Ba Sing Se University, Agent Hyo."
"Exactly, Minister."
A smile tugged at the corner of Long Feng's mouth. "I see your point. Take your paper to Captain Thanh when you complete your first draft. Now, walk with me."
Hyo rose from his seat, grabbing his robe from where he'd laid it aside. As he put it back on, he thought he saw a flash of amusement in the Minister's face.
They walked in silence for several minutes, Hyo two paces behind the Cultual Minister.
At last, Long Feng said, "Commander Chet tells me you have trouble retaining partners."
An earthquake threatened to spill out of Hyo. He clenched his hands into fists, picturing moonlight falling on Lake Laogai.
Nine years.
Nine years since the Dai Li Commander had assigned Hyo to the Lower Ring and Hu to the Agrarian Zone, preventing them from partnering. Nine slagging years of working alone or with temporary partners.
The last had been the worst -- Renshu, a noble of the Upper Ring, had considered Hyo a barbaric foreigner, an uncultured brute. The bastard had even tried to goad Hyo into fights with soldiers for his own amusement.
When Hyo finally lost his temper and screamed at Renshu, Liu had overheard. The next day, Renshu had been reassigned.
That had been two weeks ago.
"I work better alone, Minister," he said softly. The floor trembled faintly. If only Hu hadn't vanished a year into his assignment...
"I see," said Long Feng.
A week later, Hyo was transferred to Captain Thanh.
三
Hyo smile tenderly at his newborn daughter as he held her in his arms. He still couldn't believe his luck -- not only did he have a beautiful, loving wife, he now had a healthy child. He doubted his life could get any better.
"Agent Hyo."
Hyo turned and offered Minister Long Feng an abbreviated bow. He didn't usually use the abbreviated forms, but he didn't usually have a newborn in his arms, either. "Minister," Hyo greeted him.
"I never see you on Dai Li business," he observed.
"You only see me when I'm off-duty, sir," Hyo countered.
Long Feng smiled faintly, and Hyo wondered if he was being teased. "True," the Minister admitted, then changed the subject. "Captain Thanh credits you with recruiting a promising trainee."
"He used earthbending in an unusual way," Hyo said. "And he managed to unite two lower ring gangs and lead them in tracking down a serial killer." Kidlat had also nearly killed the murderer with his bare hands. "He is intelligent, persuasive, and very angry."
"Do you think the Dai Li will calm his anger?" Long Feng asked.
"I think the Dai Li will temper it," Hyo replied carefully. "And allow him a constructive outlet that won't lead to inciting riots."
Long Feng nodded. "Where would you place him?"
Hyo frowned. Why was Long Feng asking him? As Commander, Chet was the one who decided where the trainees went. Mulling the question over, he finally said, "With Captain Liu. Kidlat ran with taggers -- the young people who turn grafitti into an art form. He could learn additional styles of art from Liu. It would keep him in the Lower Ring, a place he cares about."
"Commander Chet thinks he would be better served in the Agrarian Zone," Long Feng said.
Hyo shifted carefully, breaking his root under the guise of making sure his daughter still slept. "Hu was sent to the Agrarian Zone," was his soft reply.
"As was Dato," Long Feng countered, naming the current Captain of that region.
"Dato is of Ba Sing Se."
Silence stretched, and then Long Feng changed the subject again. "What did you name her?"
"Mi-Cha," Hyo answered. "Beautiful daughter." He hesitated a moment. "Would you like to hold her?"
The Minister looked as stunned as Hyo felt. "I-- all right."
Cradling Mi-Cha to his chest with one arm, Hyo arranged Long Feng's arms properly, then carefully laid his daughter in them.
Long Feng gazed at the infant for a moment, then said, "She seems... healthy."
As if aware that she was being discussed, Mi-Cha yawned and opened her pale green eyes. She looked briefly startled to see a face that wasn't her father or mother, but then she giggled and reached up for Long Feng.
Hyo's eyes slid to the minister, and for a moment thought he saw a ghost of a smile.
四
"The stars are bright."
"That they are."
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Characters: Hyo (OC), Long Feng
Rating: G
Summary: Minister Long Feng and Commander Hyo met four times before Hyo assumed his present rank.
Notes: Merry Christmas, Bex!
一
"We're being watched," Hyo softly remarked.
The five trainees were sprawled under a tree in the Agrarian Zone, theoretically studying some earthbending scrolls. In practise... well, it was a warm spring day. Rithisak, Kyung, and Dato had all shed their outer robes and were dicing; gold-eyed Hu was curled up asleep with his head on Hyo's thigh. Hyo himself had been reading some novel or another, until the sensation of being watched had disrupted him.
At his words, however, Rithisak looked up and around at the tall robed figure. His eyes flew wide. "The Cultural Minister!" he breathed. The three Ba Sing Se boys practically flew upright to bow politely. Hyo was slower to rise -- he didn't want to unceremoniously dump poor Hu on his head.
The minister looked them all over, but his gaze lingered the longest on Hyo. At last he said, "It's a pleasure to meet the future of the Dai Li." His voice was mild, his expression calm, but Hyo felt a sudden surge of fear/hostility/longing. "What skills do you bring us?" the minister asked.
Rithisak spoke up before Dato could. "I'm a student of history and strategy, minister," he said. "Kyung is an actor, Dato is skilled at blending in, Hu is silver-tongued, and Hyo--" He hesitated. Dai Li were usually recruited for subtle skills, after all.
The silence stretched long enough that the minister raised an eyebrow.
"I was recruited for my combat ability," Hyo said at last, meeting jade eyes.
To his surprise, the minister smiled. "I see," he said, and Hyo knew the man was well aware of who they all were and why they had been recruited.
二
"Agent Hyo."
Hyo looked up from his paper. "Minister," he said, acknowledging the older man's presence with a careful bow. Carefully he laid his brush aside. "How can I help you?"
Long Feng didn't reply immediately; his gaze had fallen on Hyo's paper. The young man resisted the urge to cover his work. Finally, the Cultural Minister said, "We have books on Han-Guk culture."
Only the strictest control over his face kept Hyo from sneering. "I've read them, Minister," he said calmly. "The writing is biased."
Long Feng raised an eyebrow at this statement. "The books were written by professors of Ba Sing Se University, Agent Hyo."
"Exactly, Minister."
A smile tugged at the corner of Long Feng's mouth. "I see your point. Take your paper to Captain Thanh when you complete your first draft. Now, walk with me."
Hyo rose from his seat, grabbing his robe from where he'd laid it aside. As he put it back on, he thought he saw a flash of amusement in the Minister's face.
They walked in silence for several minutes, Hyo two paces behind the Cultual Minister.
At last, Long Feng said, "Commander Chet tells me you have trouble retaining partners."
An earthquake threatened to spill out of Hyo. He clenched his hands into fists, picturing moonlight falling on Lake Laogai.
Nine years.
Nine years since the Dai Li Commander had assigned Hyo to the Lower Ring and Hu to the Agrarian Zone, preventing them from partnering. Nine slagging years of working alone or with temporary partners.
The last had been the worst -- Renshu, a noble of the Upper Ring, had considered Hyo a barbaric foreigner, an uncultured brute. The bastard had even tried to goad Hyo into fights with soldiers for his own amusement.
When Hyo finally lost his temper and screamed at Renshu, Liu had overheard. The next day, Renshu had been reassigned.
That had been two weeks ago.
"I work better alone, Minister," he said softly. The floor trembled faintly. If only Hu hadn't vanished a year into his assignment...
"I see," said Long Feng.
A week later, Hyo was transferred to Captain Thanh.
三
Hyo smile tenderly at his newborn daughter as he held her in his arms. He still couldn't believe his luck -- not only did he have a beautiful, loving wife, he now had a healthy child. He doubted his life could get any better.
"Agent Hyo."
Hyo turned and offered Minister Long Feng an abbreviated bow. He didn't usually use the abbreviated forms, but he didn't usually have a newborn in his arms, either. "Minister," Hyo greeted him.
"I never see you on Dai Li business," he observed.
"You only see me when I'm off-duty, sir," Hyo countered.
Long Feng smiled faintly, and Hyo wondered if he was being teased. "True," the Minister admitted, then changed the subject. "Captain Thanh credits you with recruiting a promising trainee."
"He used earthbending in an unusual way," Hyo said. "And he managed to unite two lower ring gangs and lead them in tracking down a serial killer." Kidlat had also nearly killed the murderer with his bare hands. "He is intelligent, persuasive, and very angry."
"Do you think the Dai Li will calm his anger?" Long Feng asked.
"I think the Dai Li will temper it," Hyo replied carefully. "And allow him a constructive outlet that won't lead to inciting riots."
Long Feng nodded. "Where would you place him?"
Hyo frowned. Why was Long Feng asking him? As Commander, Chet was the one who decided where the trainees went. Mulling the question over, he finally said, "With Captain Liu. Kidlat ran with taggers -- the young people who turn grafitti into an art form. He could learn additional styles of art from Liu. It would keep him in the Lower Ring, a place he cares about."
"Commander Chet thinks he would be better served in the Agrarian Zone," Long Feng said.
Hyo shifted carefully, breaking his root under the guise of making sure his daughter still slept. "Hu was sent to the Agrarian Zone," was his soft reply.
"As was Dato," Long Feng countered, naming the current Captain of that region.
"Dato is of Ba Sing Se."
Silence stretched, and then Long Feng changed the subject again. "What did you name her?"
"Mi-Cha," Hyo answered. "Beautiful daughter." He hesitated a moment. "Would you like to hold her?"
The Minister looked as stunned as Hyo felt. "I-- all right."
Cradling Mi-Cha to his chest with one arm, Hyo arranged Long Feng's arms properly, then carefully laid his daughter in them.
Long Feng gazed at the infant for a moment, then said, "She seems... healthy."
As if aware that she was being discussed, Mi-Cha yawned and opened her pale green eyes. She looked briefly startled to see a face that wasn't her father or mother, but then she giggled and reached up for Long Feng.
Hyo's eyes slid to the minister, and for a moment thought he saw a ghost of a smile.
四
"The stars are bright."
"That they are."