Episode 1: A New Journey Begins

[moarhair]

Fei takes a deep breath. Khulan was right, she needed to focus on the present. Throwing a temper tantrum wouldn't help feed the refugees. She looks across the water at Xidi village. "I used to love Mooncake Festival..." she says wistfully.

 

She turns to Khulan and starts to smile, but then notices the other girl is staring at her. "We don't look enough alike to be sisters." Fei blinks, then blushes as Khulan starts to fuss over her hair. It takes her a few seconds to catch up. Eventually, her eyes light up with understanding. She nods slowly, then shakes her head emphatically.

 

"Step-sisters. I'm an only child, I'm not sure how well I could pretend to be sisterly... If we're step-sisters, just getting to know each other, it should be easier for me..." Fei bites her lip and looks away. "Although... wealthy? I don't know where to begin with that." She looks down at her dirty, many-times-restitched travelling clothes. "Maybe I should just be your guide... or maid..."

[Robodogg]

"Step-sisters." Khulan nods, happy to make the change if it helps Fei blend in. “So am I, my mother never remarried after dad died. So we’ll have to both play pretend.” She gives her new step-sister a small smile and stops fussing with her hair, stepping back so she has some space to drop her kitbag to the ground. “If mother and auntie are anything to go by, all we need to do to be convincing is bicker over everything.”

 

It only takes a fleeting moment recalling how servants were treated, both back home and at the academy, for Khulan to firmly shake her head. "No. We’re doing this together or not at all.” She kneels down and begins to rummage through her belongings, fishing out her toolbag and belt pouch to get to her less martial possessions. “Don't even think like that. Clothes aren't everything, what’s more important is attitude. My darling little step-sister might love the finest silks from Ba Sing Se, but she'd never doubt herself just because of what her annoying older sister made her wear."

 

Hidden away in her kitbag is a small golden wrapping cloth, safely concealing what jewellery Khulan wasn't already wearing and a few pieces of far nicer accoutrement than her current travelling clothes. "Who would even notice what you're wearing? A few farmers? Xidi villagers? Some provincial mayor? You don't care what people like that think. My darling little step-sister is worth more than this entire village put together. She's important." Taking a spare citrine earring, Khulan's quick fingers tie it into a pendant dangling around a gold necklace. "My friend Sarnai makes them," she explains, offering it (and anything else she cares to pick out) to Fei. "I know you can do this, Fei. If you're in doubt, just follow my lead."

[moarhair]

Fei peeks into Khulan's bag, her curiosity getting the better of her. She marvels at the fancy jewelry and other fineries concealed at the bottom of the satchel. She accepts then pendant, holding carefully, like one would a newly hatched chick. "It's beautiful... Your friend is very talented. I'll be careful with it, I promise."

 

Fei also picks out a long silk shawl, wrapping it around herself. In the dim light of the lanterns, it should be enough to conceal her well-worn clothes. Once she's done, she stands and takes a look at her reflection in the river. "You're important. Act like it," she tells herself. A brief, sad smile flashes across her face as she remembers her time working at the University before joining the Professor's team. The students and faculty members never looked at her. The cleaning staff was part of scenery for them, no better than furniture. It wasn't disdain, dislike, or hatred. It was utter indifference. If she could just copy that...

 

Laughter rings out across the water. Fei looks up at Xidi village. Her eyes narrow and her face hardens. Show them the same regard they gave to the refugees. She stands and nods at Khulan. "I'm ready."

[Robodogg]

“Don’t tell her that, she’s got a big enough head as it is,” she says with a smile, taking a bangle to slip onto her arm.

 

With a flowing scarf over her shoulder and a chiffon choli baring her midriff, Khulan is stuffing everything back into her bag and ready to go in no time at all. Dressing up for high society is just another kind of uniform, after all. Almost instinctually she starts to gather her hair up for a topknot, forcibly stopping herself halfway and quickly shaking her black hair out into something of a messy mop.

 

Being around these kinds of people all her life means that, for Khulan, putting on airs is as easy as running through her kata. “You're ready? Then let’s attend the festival, little sister!”

[Stengleronymous]

Xidi Village

Fei and Khulan make themselves over under Khulan's careful guidance. With her coaching, soon, they are the very picture of a couple vacationing Eatrth Kingdom nobles. Tsai and Hisao Chi look on in amazement at the transformation, and take this as their cue to sneak back to the woods' edge to await the delivery of the supplies they need so badly.

Fei and Khulan walk in like they own the place which, as it happens, they might as well based on everyone's reactions. Many villagers gasp and point, bowing low and respectfully as the "sisters" pass by and offering them mooncakes and other treats and gifts. They wend their way through the village receiving respectful admiration and courteous distance from everyone they encounter. Before long, the Mayor himself comes rushing up to greet them, puffing and out of breath.

You get two types of mayors in small towns like this: middle-aged rounded folks who are good with money and tend to wring their hands a great deal when anything unexpected happens, and tall, broad-shouldered folks whose families became slowly prosperous because they worked like angry boar-q-pines in the fields for twenty generations. This mayor is the first sort, having brought out his festival finery and carefully adjusting his magistrate's hat to make sure he is presentable for the "sisters."

"Honored guests," he says, bowing formally. "Welcome to Xidi Village! I am Liao, and it is my honor to be the mayor here. We are flattered and humbled by your visit! Might I know your names and your family, to welcome you more properly?"

[Robodogg]

Being laden down with responsibilities, with great warrior ancestors demanding nothing short of perfection from her, Khulan had very little time in back home to actually attend events like this. So, in a way, it’s nice to be able to enjoy Mooncake Festival like a regular person. Even if she’s dressed up as somebody else, some bratty and carefree noble with no legacy worth living up to. Just like one of the girls she was forced to tolerate at the academy.

 

Putting on her airs, carefully weighed between acknowledging her lessers and holding them in healthy disdain, Khulan leads her ‘sister’ as they wend their way through Xidi Village. It’s expected that nobles are picky, so one mooncake and one gift get accepted while others are ignored.

 

“If you get a good chance to investigate the storehouse, take it,” Khulan tells Fei, sotto voce, before switching to a far louder and more entitled voice at the sight of the approaching mayor. “See? I told you we’d get a proper welcome, Fuu.” Leaving her accomplice with an 'I told you so' look, she turns her full attention to their official welcoming party. “Mayor Liao,” she acknowledges with an ever-so-slight nod of her head in turn. “For such a… quaint town, the warmth and hospitality of Xidi Village is surely unmatched in all the kingdom.” Her compliment couched in appropriate condescension, Khulan introduces herself with a flourish. “Koko Le. Of the Chenbao Les,” she adds the emphasis with such force that the mayor would have to be a fool to not have heard of them. With a overly dramatic gesture that has her bangles clinking, she brings attention down upon Fei. “My darling little sister has just been begging to see a real Mooncake Festival. Isn’t that right, Fuu?”

[moarhair]

It takes a constant conscious effort for Fei not to be drawn in by her nostalgia. The Mooncake Festival was a big event in Hu Gaon too, and one she had looked forward to all year. Her eyes keep straying to the decorations, the revelers, the food... Every time, they start their movement alight with hope, but turn to sadness as she notices the differences or remembers that the only reason these villagers are able to celebrate so lavishly is because they denied aid to starving refugees. 

 

Like Khulan, Fei turns down the gifts and offerings, only accepting a single mooncake once she sees her companion taking one. It's still warm and smells oh-so-delightful. Her stomach rumbles. She takes a bite. The white dough is soft and has a mild, pleasant taste, with a hint of lotus seed. It is filled with red bean paste, it's overwhelming sweetness kept in check by the dough's subtle flavor. Fei can't help by smile.

 

She's about halfway through when Khulan stops and tells her to be on the lookout for the storehouse. Fei looks up from her snack and nods. When she sees the village's large mayor approach and greet them with a big, self-satisfied grin, she narrows her eyes slightly. She uses the time spent on Khulan's introduction to force her face to relax by taking a few deep breaths.

 

"Yes, that's right, dear Koko," she says in response to Khulan's inquiry, putting on her best noble-ish voice. "The Mooncake Festivals back home are way too fancy," she says, struggling to sound refined. "Da- Father always has the best bakers in town prepare all sorts of pastries and dishes. However," the professors at the University never used 'but', maybe there were other words she could poach from them? "The Mooncake Festival is supposed to be a harvest festival, isn't it? I've always wanted to see an authentic, provincial celebration. One still in touch with the antiquated traditions it came from," she adds, thankful for all the time she'd spent cleaning around the Anthropology department.

 

"So, please, don't change anything for us. You'd be ruining what we came for." Fei stops, pleased with herself, and looks at Khulan for signs of approval. Her eyes grow wide as she remembers her companion's whispered instruction. She turns back to face the mayor. "However, we would gladly accept a tour of your village, if you would be so kind as to show us around, Mister Mayor."

[Wondertain]

Yanmo sighs. The Mooncake Festival is all well and good, but something about his situation makes him not feel the festivities. Oh, right - he's a refugee, chased out of his home by a foreign army. 

"Dad, I'm going to-"

Yanmo looks to the side. He notices Khulan.

Wait, she looks... Fire Nation...

Yanmo grits his teeth, his jaw set in fury. No... it couldn't be...

[Oceane]

Fang, the Razor

---

Fang had been quietly sitting by herself on a bench, near somebody's house. She hadn't quite scrounged up the bravery to talk to anybody—she was better at communicating with her fists actions, after all—and thus, she had just been watching. Moving around, looking at activities, at people, smiling, enjoying themselves and their families.

She wasn't invisible, she got looks her way; she was striking in her own way, a tall woman with a strong physique, wearing Earth Nation greens in a distinctly not Earth Nation fashion. The "Hellos" that she got, she answered with nods, tongue-tied and unable to put herself forward.

No mooncake, either.

And now here she was, sitting on this bench, after she had been looking at a pair of what looked like Water Tribespeople. Her interest was innocuous curiosity, but she caught the younger one's stare; not to her, but to one of those women the villagers had been gifting, and gifting again. Fang was bad at reading people, but if she could notice anything, it was anger, the seething tension that overtook somebody.

Part of her wanted to see what was going to happen next.

Instead, she got up, and walked in front of the young man's glare, putting her body between him and the woman. "Hey there—you two like you came a long way to get here."

[Voldaren]

Miyah sauntered through the village, soaking in the atmosphere. It had been a while since she had been to a mooncake festival. The smells of the cakes brought back memories of Tu Zin, and their much smaller celebration. The reminiscing brought a smile to her face. But it didn't last long, as her attention was swiftly brought back to the present by the crowd's attention surging towards the two lavishly, almost gaudily dressed individuals. As the glint of their jewels and silk twinkled in the sun, a similar shine worked its way across Miyah's eyes.

Blending in with the crowd quite easily, she wormed her way through the throng. She made sure to position herself close as the sycophantic mayor bleated his platitudes, eyeing the jewelry and bangles the entire time. Miyah began to move closer aiming to bump into the smaller one and lift a bangle. As she was about to do so however, another woman strangely dressed moved up and began to converse with the nobles. Forced to veer off to one side, Miyah made towards a mooncake stall on the other side of the street, bought a few cakes and began to eat and watch as the conversation played out.

[Stengleronymous]

Xidi Village

Only the barest hesitation on the Mayor's part as Khulan presents her artificial identity. She can see a lovely moment of panic in his eyes as he attempts to recall something, anything about any Le family from Chenbao, or for that matter, where Chenbao even is, exactly.

"Oh! Yes! Yes, of course," he says, quickly, bowing again. "The Chenbao Le's, certainly, certainly. Why, I believe my wife is a distant cousin of a cadet branch of one of your vassal families. Yes, I'm sure of it," he adds, quickly. "That makes us practically family! Mistress Fuu, Mistress Koko, I cannot say how happy I am to welcome you to Xidi Village. It would be my honor to give you a tour of our humble town. Right this way, if you please," he says, leading them towards the storehouses at the center of the town.

* * *

Yanmo's father gives him a curious look when he cuts off talking. "Going to what?" he asks, jogging Yanmo's arm gently, then following his gaze. He purses his lips curiously and is about to say something when Fang appears and asks them a question. "Oh!" he responds. "Yes, indeed. We've come up here all the way from the Southern Water Tribe. Things are...difficult, back home," he says, shifting uncomfortably. "Ah, where are my manners? I'm Teflek, and this is Yanmo, my son."

* * * 

The mooncake vendor happily offers Miyah several to enjoy. "Best in town this year," she says, proudly, adjusting her robes back to perfect neatness. "Of course, it was a near thing not to have the festival at all, with all those hungry refugees prowling around. Mayor Liao sent them on their way, though. Can't help but feel bad for the folks, of course, though not so bad we'd risk starving through the winter ourselves!"

 

[Wondertain]

Yanmo grins politely at Fang and gives her a quick bow. He doesn't quite notice Fang's intentions, instead averting his eyes sheepishly. It'd be rude of him to assume someone's nationality based on their appearances. 

But Yanmo couldn't help but wonder... 

"I'm Yanmo. Nice to meet you."

Yanmo looks around at the festival. This village had recently chased off the refugees begging to stay... electing instead to hold this big festival. Apparently, maintaining the status quo was more important that helping people in need.

Disgusting.

Yanmo sighs at the thought. No, there was a new person here, and from the looks of it, someone from not around here. Maybe this young woman would be more sympathetic to Yanmo and his family.

"I was just about to suggest to Father that we should get some mooncakes. Care to join us...?" he says, subtly asking for the woman's name.

[moarhair]

Fei follows the mayor as he takes them through the village, keeping a mildly interested look on her face. It's hard not to look bored as he tells them things about how the houses are constructed and the local history. When they get to the storehouse, she asks a few questions to keep him talking and engaged while Khulan looks for a way in. "What material do you use for the roofing? When was it constructed? How long can you store radishes for?" and so on.

 

While she talks with him, Fei takes the opportunity to survey his bulk. She looks for bulges in his pockets that would indicate the presence of keys. If this village did things like hers had, they would keep the storehouse locked and the mayor would have the keys. When she spots something that fits the bill, she sidles up to him to point something out and ask him another pointless question. Her other hand reaches into his pocket and snatches up its contents with speed and deftness honed by years of catching bugs in the forest near her home.

[Voldaren]

Miyah bit into the mooncake savouring the taste for just a moment. She nodded her approval at the vendor, wiping a few crumbs from her mouth before speaking. "Of course, though you have to enjoy the little things." she replied with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Gesturing her thanks, she moved on, following the mayor and the nobles closely. Of course they don't seem to be starving. In fact that mayor could do with a bit less food this winter... Miyah thought to herself as she shadowed the trio, looking for an opening.

She was focusing on not sticking out so much that she almost missed it. The finesse of Fei's pickpocket just about slipped by Miyah, but not quite. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as she whistled. "Well damn, she's good..." Miyah murmured to herself. There was no way that a normal prissy noble could lift some keys like that. Those two must be for some kind of score, and she wanted in. Slinking her way through the crowd to an intersection before the group walking down the street, she made sure to catch the eyes of the 'nobles' and nod approvingly at where the keys were hidden, winking as she did so.

 

[Robodogg]

When the Mayor isn't looking, Khulan shoots Fei a small smile. Their plan was working flawlessly.

 

'Koko' claps her hands, faking utter delight with aplomb. “Oh, how delightful! I must tell mother when we get back.” She's laying it on thick, but that small flash of panic in the Mayor’s eyes tells her she and Fei are in the clear. “You know how the family motto goes, ‘Omashu might have a king, but Chenbao has the Le’s’!” she giggles far too much, following dutifully behind Mayor Liao as the tour begins.

 

Spirits of the Islands, if I ever have to do this again it’ll be too soon.

 

Having endured more than her fair share of tedious lectures, keeping up the feigned appearance of enrapt attention when talking about roofing materials and local soil quality is easy for Khulan. Her actual attention is directed at the storehouse, any easy ways in or out would be a huge help when time came for the rob- liberation of food. But that's not what ends up catching her eye. Or who catches her eye, rather. And that local girl almost seems to be going out of her way to… no, catches her eye on purpose. Did she…

 

“Oh Fuu, you wooly-pig! You’ve still got mooncake all over you.” 'Koko' rolls her eyes, licking the corner of a silk kerchief and leaning in close to wipe her sister's chin clean. “I think we’ve been made. Girl with green eyes. White hairband. Half-eaten mooncake,” she whispers in Fei's ear. “Oh sister, dear, if you really want more sweets you’re allowed to get another one.” So much for their flawless plan.