Chapter 23: Burrowed Reconnaissance

"You're back early. Is everything all right?"

On Ji nodded and removed her head covering, dropping her acquisitions on the floor with a resounding thunk. Each time she went out on another "foraging run," it got easier and easier for her to make off with increasingly generous amounts of food and other essentials. During the past few weeks, she had spent nearly every waking moment under Sifu Wei's instruction, training her body to be faster, stronger, and stealthier. She had learned how to run silently, evade attacks, and shake off followers. It had only been during the past week that her sifu had finally allowed her to start making the necessary trips for supplies on her own. Her rigorous physical training, combined with their careful rations, had already begun to change her physical appearance. Although On Ji had always been slender, she was even leaner now, and her legs and arms were starting to show a little visible muscle tone.

What most startled On Ji as of late in regards to her appearance was how her face had changed since the beginning of her new life in hiding. Every time she saw her reflection in a bucket of water, she felt like she was looking into the eyes of a stranger. Her face had lost its innocence. She had lost her innocence. She missed her parents every day. She missed going to school. She missed her friends. But she knew there was no way she could go back to what was. If she revealed herself now, she would be taken immediately to the coal mines… or worse. Wanted posters with her face hung everywhere in town next to Kuzon's. This was her life now, and she had to make the best of it.

At least Sifu Wei had turned out to be not only very kind, but also quite resourceful. Within a day of their escape he had found them a more secure refuge than the shack in the form of an old typhoon shelter a good distance from any buildings in town. It was a large chamber burrowed into the ground covered with a sliding metal panel. The inside was dark and damp, but she and Sifu Wei had done their best to make it a suitable shelter, nicking bundles of straw from nearby farms to create dry padded surfaces on which to sleep. Future gathering sprees had yielded two lanterns, sacks of rice and beans to cook with daily scavenged perishable foods, a metal pot, dark pieces of cloth that Sifu Wei had fashioned into new clothes, a bucket for collecting water, and two small tea cups. They had discovered soon after arriving that On Ji could discreetly cook food without creating noticeable smoke by slowly heating the pot from below with a tiny ball of flame in her hand while the metal door was slightly ajar for ventilation. They relieved themselves outside in a designated area a few yards from the bunker and drew water from a nearby river.

During the day, the two of them remained safely underground, sleeping and training. There was enough room inside their little home for hand to hand combat. On Ji was grateful that Mr. Wei was not a firebending teacher- they never would have been able to practice in this space without lighting their bedding aflame. At night, they made their supply runs, changing the times and locations of the thefts to keep the authorities guessing. Nighttime was also when they went out to commit acts of sabotage against the establishment and gather intel on the situation in town.

"Here." On Ji tossed a copy of the daily newspaper to her sifu. He read it cover to cover every day, eager to keep up with local and national developments. Sifu Wei also sometimes went nearly completely covered to the town watering holes to listen in on gossip and rumors. On Ji was not allowed to accompany him for those missions.

"I saw Hide. There was soldier at his house to tell his family that Admiral Zhao is dead. I don't know why, but I couldn't look away. I almost felt… sorry for Hide. He looked like his whole world had just come to an end."

Wei paused from his reading and met her eyes. "You feel his pain because you have a good heart, On Ji. The death of a parent is a terrible grief to bear. Although this young man has not been kind to you and informed the authorities of the existence of the dance party, he is still a child. One should never wish ill upon a child. Furthermore, because he is a child, his heart is not yet unchangeable. Perhaps in his grief, Hide may rethink where his loyalties lie."

On Ji pondered that. "So, what do you suggest? I don't think contacting him now would work. He'd probably still turn me in at this point."

Wei nodded. "No doubt. However, it may be wise to begin to surveil him as he processes this life changing news. It would certainly give you something else to do, if you tire of my company." His words ended on a lighthearted note. On Ji smiled, grateful that Sifu Wei was quite intuitive and that he understood her need for space. As agreeable as she found him, she was still in the process of adjusting to the dramatically different reality of living in a one room underground bunker with a man she had barely known before all of this.

"That's a good idea. I will start following him after school lets out tomorrow. In the meantime, I do have some other news."

Wei leaned forward. "Oh? Pray tell."

On Ji continued. "The next student gathering will take place in a forest clearing in two days' time after sundown. Their plot to burn the guards' uniforms was a success, and it looks like they might be up to something even bigger."

Wei blinked. "How did you acquire this information? Remember, it could be misdirection to draw us out. The woods are isolated. It would be all too easy for the authorities to ambush us there."

On Ji grinned. "I finally figured out how this group's been communicating. While some of the kids were walking around the market, I nicked one of their bags and quickly searched it. There was a bag of cumin flavored fire flakes inside. But here's the thing: the kid who owns that bag is allergic to cumin- he always makes a big stink about how it hurts his stomach whenever they serve it at lunch. So I looked inside the bag… and there was a secret message! That's how they're organizing- I mean, what guard searching a kid would think it weird for them to have a snack?"

Wei's brow furrowed in contemplation. "Ingenious. But who's writing the messages? Who's in charge of all this?"

On Ji felt herself blushing slightly despite her best efforts to stop it. "Well… before I put the bag back for the kid to find, I realized that I recognized the handwriting on the note. It's Shoji's. He's been in my classes for years, and I've seen a lot of his assignments. He was closer to Kuzon than anyone. He's gotta be the one in charge of the kids doing all of this stuff."

Wei shook his head slightly. "We need more evidence. I have a hard time imagining the shy young man from my gym classes leading any kind of rebellion. I'll tail him tomorrow and see what I can find out."

On Ji wrung her hands together, reaching the question she had been waiting to ask since she had returned home. "Sifu… can I go to the meeting?"

Wei's eyes flashed. "Absolutely not! We don't know yet who is involved in this student group, and whether or not they can be trusted. Right now, the authorities have no idea that we are both still at large in town. If someone were to let slip that On Ji Pan was seen in the woods, what do you think would happen? Their search efforts would double. We would have to leave this shelter again, and we would lose all opportunity to do what we can to aid the resistance."

On Ji's face fell. "I just… I really want to see my friends again. And we've been training so hard these past few weeks- I could help them with whatever they're planning!"

Wei's expression softened. "I know you miss your classmates, On Ji. But right now, while there is still so much that we don't know, it's just too great a risk to take. However, we can do the next best thing. The woods will provide ample cover for us at night. You and I will tail students to the meeting place and watch and listen from the outskirts. When the time is right, we will reveal ourselves openly and join their cause. You must be patient."

On Ji plopped down on her straw bedding, resigned. Logically, she knew her sifu was right. They needed more information. But she couldn't help longing for a bit of normalcy in the form of her friends. And then there was Shoji… the thought that he might be the one carrying on Kuzon's legacy, leading others towards the same goal that she was… she wanted to speak to him again more than anyone else.

Suddenly, Wei gasped and pulled the newspaper closer to his face, disbelieving.

"What is it, sifu?"

Wei beckoned her over. "On Ji, look at this! A spirit known as The Painted Lady allegedly destroyed a factory and healed all the sick people in this small fishing town to the north of here. There's a quote from an elderly witness who apparently 'changed hats and names several times during the interview' stating that there was no spirit involved at all; it was a waterbender disguised as the Painted Lady who destroyed the factory. The author of this article seems to dismiss this testimony as the humorous ravings of a senile old man, but… what if he's telling the truth?"

On Ji gripped onto the straw below her tightly. "A waterbender? You mean… Kuzon? Why would Kuzon destroy a factory?"

Wei stood up and began pacing excitedly. "I don't know, but this is the first sign we've had of Kuzon's whereabouts since he disappeared. Who else could it be? Furthermore, this confirms my hypothesis about his plan. Kuzon's moving north… towards Capital City. He's headed for the Fire Lord, and he could be there in a matter of weeks. That means… we have far less time than I thought. The resistance needs to gain control of this town before the whole system comes crashing down. And it will. I can't even contemplate the other outcome. We must preserve order amidst the chaos."

On Ji was struggling to follow Sifu Wei's train of thought as he spoke faster and faster. Wei began fastening the cloth across his face and strapping some supplies to his back.

"Where are you going, sifu? I thought we weren't going out again until after midnight."

Wei motioned for her to refasten her own face covering. "Plans have changed. We're going to go have a chat with your friend Shoji."