#diayu

[itsukakendo]

what the fuck is a “bnha” ???? listen to the magnus archives

[j1334577]

林黛玉

[giant-tasteless-trashcan]

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Chapter 5:

Ming-hua didn't know what to think about the new White Lotus sentry.

It was obvious she was a she, even with the bulky White Lotus uniform they all wore. It was also obvious, at least since a week ago that she was both young and pretty naive.

What else did you call someone who, out of nowhere, approached you with a pillow because they worried about your comfort? They were in a maximum security volcanic prison, and she had had the same conditions then as she did when she first arrived here.

At first, she wondered if it was some sort of trick. If they had something new up their sleeves, or perhaps had changed tactics to using kindness to break her. A few people had actually tried that before; by giving her more food and talking kindly to her during interrogations. But she saw right through them and still refused to answer. It had frustrated them and they soon dropped it.

That was her initial conclusion about it. Although she did wonder, later on, why she wasn't restrained first when the pillow was given to her. If she was in the mood to test the guards, she would have been able to do some damage, though pretty miniscule, to her. Of course, she'd be beaten and starved for the effort, but it would have been worth it.

Well, she hadn't been and she had let the little chit go unharmed.

She was actually surprised when she bowed. Never, not once, had anyone bowed to her in this prison. It was rare enough even when she hadn't been a notorious criminal. Actually, even before that. It was a sign of respect that wasn't all that mandatory among the working class. Especially for those who were considered below them.

She had expected another act of 'kindness' the following night, but none came. The guard had never spoken to her before, nor went to the lowest balcony on level with her cell. It was like nothing had happened, except she now had a pillow. A small comfort since her thirteen years trapped here.

She couldn't see everything from her place down near the volcano, but she saw enough. She had searched for the quiet female night guard but had only seen her descending to the second level, which was above her. She hadn't gone down until after three days later. Last night.

Ming-hua had watched her as she arrived and spoke to JinJing, the head of the night sentries. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she had seen the older woman hand the girl some things. After that, she had watched as she went down and continued on to her level. She had with her the metalbender, Chuanli, whom she had made stories about secretly wanting to become a pastry chef but had been forced by controlling parents to enter the great Order of the White Lotus instead, to bring glory and honor to their family.

She saw that the young one carried a rolled-up sleeping mat and another pillow under each of her arms. She was surprised she had brought more. She had already given her the pillow the last time, now another one? And a mat? She waited for an explanation or some type of sweet, seemingly innocent nonsense that was designed to make her feel grateful about the items. (In truth, she was feeling some gratitude but it was only a tiny bit due to the novelty of having something she could call hers again.) But she had gotten none of that and so she decided to test this one's intentions by gesturing her to come in her cell.

Her door was opened, once again, without her being restrained or drugged, and the young sentry went inside again. This is time, she had gone to the 'back' of her cage and ordered for her to place the mat there in the corner. She wanted to see know how far the kid was willing to go. To her surprise, yet again, she had crossed over to her and stood side to side with her, even dropping to a kneel to place the, then unrolled, mat on the floor.

This was the first time in years that someone had gotten so close to her where she was awake and unrestrained. She wasn't sure whether the girl was just stupid, dangerously reckless, or plain suicidal. When the young guard was about to put the pillow on top of her mat, she immediately stopped her. She wasn't going to sleep on it (even though it would have been more comfortable than the bare floor). She had wanted it as cover for the hot metal of the iron bars, so she could tuck away in the corner. Instead of ordering her what to do, she simply did it herself using her foot.

She thought that her sudden movements would have triggered some instinct the girl might have to flee, fight, or something. Instead, she had remained calm, even as she stood and backed away. Once again, before she left, she had stopped just in front of the door and bowed.

She remembered thinking, What is this kid's deal?

She was either the dumbest guard she'd ever met in her life, or the kindest. And it didn't take her long to decide that it was the latter. (Though how she came to that conclusion, she still wasn't quite sure. She wasn't able to follow her rapid thoughts at that crucial moment. The moment she decided that maybe not all the White Lotus were assholes.)

In that moment of clarity came another moment; this time, one of impulsivity. She had the urge to thank someone for the first time in years and lunged at the desire. (She was always rather physical when she wanted to do something. She attributes it to how she bends.)

In retrospect, she probably shouldn't have done that. Not that she regrets it. It was always a little satisfying when they got riled up. Especially when she wasn't intending on anything harmful.

She had managed to say 'Thanks,' a little shy as she did so, (She had never been comfortable expressing gratitude to strangers. It wasn't like she knew much about the girl. She didn't even know her name!) before she felt fire lick at her back.

She didn't yell. She had never yelled when they hurt her during interrogation. Besides, she was already used to the pain of getting burned, although it didn't make it any less painful. But she did instinctually try to get away from it. Therefore, pushing against the young sentry in her efforts and return her inside of the cell. And even if she had felt gratitude just a minute before, she did not like being touched by strangers. Not really even with people she knew; it took a lot for her to trust someone enough to be comfortable with their touch.

Anyhow, obviously that didn't end well. She had tried to twist herself free and ended up kicking the kid in the stomach just to have her let go. Then the familiar metal coils wrapped around her and, though she struggled with it for a moment, allowed herself to fall limp in it. Not like she could have done anything to escape.

The firebitch, JinJing, came swiftly towards them and pulled the young guard up and addressed her by name, checking to see if she was hurt. Ah, so her name was Daiyu.

She was sent up along with the other ass of a firebender, Renshu: another night sentry. After she was gone JinJing gave her one of her deadliest glares and ordered the others to put her back in the cell, then gave an order that she was not to be fed in the next week as punishment.

Eh. Nothing new there. At least, I got to learn a bit about the new kid, she thought.

She wasn't that upset with the guard, Daiyu, when she came earlier. Granted, what happened last night was partly her fault. If she hadn't come and went in looking so sincere and friendly, she wouldn't have metaphorically poked her. Mostly, though, she was pissed at the morning sentries. The douches were a lot worse than the night ones and constantly terrorized her. Someday, when she got out . . .

The young girl, Daiyu, just proved how different she was from any of the ones before her when she started asking about her health and if she had been hurt more last night. Why did she care, anyways? which she had asked aloud. Daiyu had answered about how it was the right thing to do and Ming-hua felt . . . something. She wasn't quite sure what it was so she didn't say anything.

The kid repeated her first question and, of course, she was hurt! She had been firebended straight to her back! Her shoulders and most of her back were still stinging with every little movement she made. Then Daiyu asked if they had healed her. And it wasn't with any sarcasm, she truly seemed to care.

But why? So, what if it was 'the right thing'? No one had ever done so before and, even before she was caught and sent here; she never did either. Not to those who were considered her enemies, at least. And they were, weren't they? They were on opposite sides of the spectrum, as evidenced by the metal bars and several feet of hot magma between them. That girl, however kind she seemed, was still part of the organization she detested and distrusted. They were definitely enemies.

But she had answered a quick and honest 'No' after a while. Daiyu had looked like she had expected it but still did not like the answer. Her eyes stared through her, seemingly in thought, before they focused again. She looked her straight in the eyes with a hard look filled with determination and some sort of promise, some understanding. Then she had left, without a word.

She wasn't sure what was going on. She had ideas and theories but she didn't want to put any faith or substance to them, refusing to get her hopes up. She felt like that Daiyu kid would be doing something favorable for her, the scary armless criminal hidden deep down in a volcanic prison. She thought that Daiyu's questions and actions, her look before she departed, meant that she was going to help her; that she was promising that she will. But what can she do? She was one in more than about two dozen, young, and new here. If she was going to help her in secret, the others would easily spot what she was doing and stop her. If she was planning to ask JinJing ---

Ming-hua mentally snorted. Even if she wasn't as bad a Yaozu, JinJing was still a bitch who treated her like, ironically, a dog. Same as practically everyone else. The firebender wouldn't allow her better living conditions. Spirit, she was already surprised that the items Daiyu had brought her weren't taken back. She had expected them to remove it before she was sent back in her cage, or perhaps return to collect it in a little while after locking her up again. Though no one had come for it the rest of the night and so far today. She wondered why that was and if Daiyu had anything to do with it. If so, how had she been able to convince JinJing of it, after the events of last night?

Daiyu returned back to the compound. She had passed by several other guards on her way up and they eyed her as they did earlier, with only curiosity instead of suspicion. She was a bit relieved to know that no one had heard their conversation, no matter how seemingly harmless it was. If she set the stirrings of her plan to motion, it would be better if no one had cause to suspect it were anything but natural causes or coincidence. Definitely not that she was involved, much less the sole culprit.

She returned to her their dorm-like room and sat at her bed, thinking. That's all she had been doing since she left the caged waterbender. She needed improve the armless woman's conditions and her health, for which she was obviously lacking. She needed to be hydrated and fed more, judging from her gaunt frame. Definitely washed as well. And healed. Definitely healed.

But first of all, she needed to learn everything she could about the woman. As much as she wanted to help, and had already accepted how perilous it would be for her, it would still be better to be prepared and armed with the knowledge of what she was facing. Both with the waterbender and her fellow White Lotus. That meant she had to ask around. Which would eventually bring her suspicion if something ever happens. Unless. She fakes casual interest? Yes. Make them think of it as a chance to educate her on the dangers, so she would see 'reason'. But that could only go so far. She needed to find out about the rotations and other conditions or her imprisonment as well. When and how she is being fed and given water, if she was healed or bathed. As awful as the smell was, she didn't think they have never given her bath in the thirteen years she had been there. Her clothing looked terrible tattered, though, so she wondered how long had she been wearing the thing.

She needed that information and the only way she could think of to get them without arousing suspicion was if she was told it without her asking. Or, she saw Ming-hua's file. She was sure that the most, if not all, the information she required would be in there. Problem was, how was she going to get it?

It would likely be in the watchtower. The one in the middle of first level circular platform, at the mouth of the volcano. That was the main communications network as well as the office of the head guards. It wasn't exactly restricted to Yaozu and JinJing, although other officers needed a reason to go inside, such as an order from their officer. The only way she could see herself being able to enter in and out of there without an officer in the room, would be if she was ordered by Jinjing to do so. Likely to fetch something. But how would she be able to create and put herself into such a situation? Also, she didn't know where she would even start to look. She had only been there twice. First when she arrived, with Yaozu. The second, JinJing had called her in because she had a phone call from her mother, who wanted to know how she was. The firebender had left the room to wait outside to give her privacy ---

That was it! If she would have another phone call, she would be called in and left alone, giving her the chance to search for Ming-hua's file. And since both officers were firebenders, the metal drawers would have a built in lock. Not like those unique, secure drawers for metalbenders she had seen that could only be opened by metalbending. But it would likely have to be in the evening since she wasn't so sure if Yaozu would allow her the same courtesy her own officer gave her. And she had to be able to pick it open without damaging it; a fact she wasn't sure she still knew how to do. she also had to search fast. She couldn't chance anyone coming in unexpectedly, and phone calls, while on duty, weren't supposed to last long. Then there was the problem of how she was going to arrange a call (or calls, for more chances of snooping), from her mother. She could call her and tell her to call at specific times under the guise that she missed her and that short but often calls wouldn't be punishable. Technically, phone calls themselves weren't forbidden but it still does not really look good. However, she could get away with it with JinJing.

JinJing. Her pretty fair and down-to-earth officer. Damn. She didn't want to betray her trust nor get her in trouble. But that was why should never get caught. Why they should never learn what she was planning and what she will be doing. She didn't want to metaphorically slap a person, who had been kind to her, in the face.

Then she still had to continue her waterbending training. She thought she could push it in the back, at least temporarily, but she knows that she couldn't do that now. No matter what she learned of how Ming-hua was kept, she knew that she couldn't use conventional methods to get water to her. There were always other sentries around, no matter how much different she witnessed the night sentries are to the morning ones. If she wanted to be able to send the woman water to hydrate her with, there was only one way to do so: with waterbending. She would have to have enough mastery to . . .

Move water without obvious, if any, physical movements. Turn water to ice and back again in a heartbeat. Heal. Heal without seeing the injury and without hand contact or even being near the person. Keep water as completely dry, frosty, ice for a long period of time. Sense all liquids, even at great distances and be able to control them with skill and finesse. Manage complete and total control over said liquids so that they will not be wrestled out of hers by any waterbender, no matter how skilled.

Man, did she have her work cut out for her.