The Parade

"I am here to help you!."

— Yangchen to a crowd of Bin-Er citizens.

"The Parade" is the eighth chapter of The Dawn of Yangchen.

Overview

Yangchen embarks on a public procession through Bin-Er with Minister Sidao. But her anger flares when protestors pelt her entourage with refuse.

Synopsis

After awaking in unfamiliar lodgings, Yangchen reviews the events of the previous day to connect her prior memories to her current tasks. This exercise is made more difficult by her new surroundings, which she selected strategically to avoid any potential surveillance. Reflecting on the previous night's events and how she handled the aftermath of Kavik's intrusion, she amuses herself at the thought of his reaction to meeting the Avatar twice in one day. She is interrupted by Boma, who informs her of the need to eat breakfast quickly to stay on Sidao's schedule. After responding to Boma, she focuses on the architectural plans that Kavik sought to steal, searching for hidden insights. She is surprised to discover that the plans reveal heated floors within the Bin-Er gathering hall.

During a formal procession through the streets, Yangchen is keenly aware of the contrast between the carefully curated image of prosperity presented to her and the stark reality of hiding in the alleyways. As she rides on Nujian, she uses playful defiance of Sidao's rigid schedule and etiquette to frustrate him, explaining that a charging sky bison would feel like an earthquake and damage property. By abandoning the procession to report to the Shangs, Sidao reveals where his true loyalties lie.

The weight of expectation from the gathered citizens weighs heavy on Yangchen as they lift their hoods and clasp their hands in a silent plea for aid. When a group of disgruntled locals attempts to disrupt the parade, Yangchen easily deflects a rotten papaya hurled at her, using airbending to sense its trajectory and redirect it into her hand. Boma is struck by a clay jug, drawing blood. In a fit of anger, Yangchen instinctively retaliates, yelling out at the gathered crowd and momentarily losing control of her carefully composed image. This causes Nujian to react by slamming his tail, flattening the crowd with a gust of wind. In that moment, she recognizes the growing disillusionment of the people, realizing that her presence alone is not enough to mend their suffering unless there's something she can do for them. Frustrated by the situation, she hurls the papaya at the wall above the attacker, raining rotten pulp and seeds upon the crowd. Shaking her head, she presses Nujian forward, already anticipating the regret she will feel for her outburst.

Production notes

Series continuity

• Pik and Pak, Yangchen's pet lemurs, are mentioned. They first appeared in a flashback in The Rift Part Two, where they accompanied the Avatar to Tienhaishi.^[1]

Character revelations

• Minister Sidao is from Nanyan near the Foggy Swamp.
• Yangchen has a habit of performing mental exercises each morning to keep her memories intact and separate from those of the past lives.
• Amongst Yangchen's memories of the past lives, there was an Avatar who was a sailor and another who was a general.

References