A. N. : Hypnosis is such an interesting technique, especially once you know the rules and limitations it involves. And the Dai Li is a very, very creepy organization. Mix these two, add some questions over the chain of command and how independent Lake Laogai was in regards to other services, spray some sarcasm over all of this... and you get this text as a result. (Note that, while set in A viper-lizard's tales' canon, it can perfectly be read on its own.)

The Lake has always been a weird place.

It's always been the case, and honestly you get used to it within a few months. The outside is what feels weird to Han now. The outside, and the unusual crowd literally everywhere here now, in every hall, every room – hell, all the treatment rooms are in use right now, and have been for the last few hours. All of them.

Han has never seen that.

Admittedly, Han finished his formation something like a year ago and is still the baby of the Lake operations – spirits, he really hates this nickname – and hasn't seen all the things the other Agents have. But even Sui is running from one room to another to try and keep up with the influx of people in need of re-education, so that must mean something.

It's not like the Wall ever fell before after all.

The Fire Princess is always at the back of Han's mind these days. She terrified him, still does actually, but during that first big meeting Han just knew she would burn Ba Sing Se to the ground, and all of them with it, if things didn't go her way.

The role of the Dai Li is to protect the City, and Han might think it's just a big pile of bricks and not really care about it – the Lower Ring will do that to you, he guesses – but the Dai Li is all he has, and without Ba Sing Se there won't be an organization anymore. No Agents. No goal. Just the emptiness in his stomach that almost feels like hunger.

So Han doesn't regret what happened. None of the guys here seem to either, and that's probably why they were chosen for Lake Laogai over other Agents.

Other Agents, weak Agents, are being brought in by their colleagues, and every time Han hurries to go fetch the Head. That's his job as the baby – errand boy, with no choice but to work as fast as possible and pray he doesn't have to leave one of his clients alone in the room while running somewhere. Thankfully, he still isn't given earthbenders, otherwise that could go very bad, very fast.

Usually it's a bit stressing, but bearable. Now ? Now, this is positively hell, and the others should feel ashamed for still keeping this up. Not like they could – he sure as hell wouldn't in their stead – but complaining is all he has.

This is hell, even when Han manages to catch his breath between two clients. This is hell, especially when he sees Liao brought in by two Agents who look like they got in a fight with a moose-lion. There is no question about what happened, but Han still can't help himself from wondering how this happened.

He was never close to Liao – dude is kind of a pretentious asshole – but this guy is the last person he ever expected to see here. Of the four in Han's first dormitory, Liao was the rudest, and he reeked so much of Higher Ring that is was sickening at times, but he was good at what he did and was so determined in his work that he actually left his cosy rich life. Han only joined because he was hungry.

Liao should've been able to understand it was either bringing down the Wall or facing the Princess – and just thinking about that has Han shivering – but instead here he is, and there goes Han rushing to the Head's office.

For some reason the Princess seems to think paperwork is essential even during times of crisis, so the Head can't even help them aside from when it's really, really required.

Like right now, with an Agent in need of re-education.

For someone so overworked though, the Head's desk is surprisingly free of paperwork. Did he pull a Xia and dumped it on someone else, or is he really that efficient ?

The Head looks at Han looking at his desk, and he smiles like he knows exactly what's going on inside Han's brain. And Han tries very hard not to be freaked out – anyone who ever came close to Xia knows about his bad habits – but he can't help it when the Head doesn't ask about Liao and instead talks about Xia's promotion to Head of intelligence, courtesy of the Princess.

There are no mind readers in the Dai Li, the Head is just really weird. Yeah. That's all there is to it – wait, Xia got promoted to administrative work ? And here Han thought the Princess liked her paperwork done.

But most importantly – why is Han even losing his time over this ? It has nothing to do with him, and of course the Princess doesn't know about Xia's habits – hell, she doesn't even know the Lake's true face. Thinks it's a research facility, just like she is supposed to. They had a briefing about it this morning. Keep up that lie, pretend the re-educating taking place here is a lot more orthodox than it really is, make sure there are always experiments ready – ones with Lower Ring clients no one cares about – in case the Princess decides to come for a visit.

Han prays she never does.

But that's not the point here, the point is – Liao, the Head needs to come re-educate Liao. And usually that's it, and Han is already turning to go back to work, but the Head is apparently in a good mood today, because he offers to let Han watch him work. And an occasion like this one doesn't happen twice, so of course Han almost trips over himself and accepts.

The methods of the Head are a mystery to everyone – except maybe Sui, but that's because he's basically the second in command, even though that title doesn't really exist, and because he seems to always know everything. Turning Agents is incredibly hard, because they are wary and they know some of the things happening here, and they're trained to resist mental persuasion and torture. So Han is very, very curious about the Head's techniques. They have to be pretty special. Han is expecting some high grade manipulation, or some interesting trick to make even an Agent lower his defences.

He isn't expecting the Head to pick up a tea tray. He isn't expecting to be handed the tea tray, or for the Head to ask him details about Liao's life and beliefs and personality.

Suddenly, getting to watch the Head work sounds a lot less impressing. Han is pretty sure he was chosen only because he called Liao by name. Well, that's always an occasion to learn. Maybe not to learn how to turn an Agent, but at least to get better at… brewing… tea…

Why is the Head so weird ?

But the tea is far from the end, Han quickly realizes. No, the Head also undoes Liao's chains under the promise he won't attack them, and speaks with him like they're not at Lake fucking Laogai and the Head isn't here to re-educate him. Seriously, what is wrong with this man ?

And Liao is obviously suspicious of the Head, because who wouldn't be, but then the Head asks Liao about his thoughts and ideas and reasons and oh – oh, people are the most inclined to lower their guard when talking about themselves, and Han starts to reconsider everything the Head has done until now.

The tea – relaxing tea ? Something more powerful that would render the client more susceptible to suggestion ? Is Han here not just to observe and inform the Head, but also to make Liao more comfortable and less inclined to resist ?

And asking for Liao's reasons for his rebellion will make it easier for the Head to find a way around them, because hypnosis can't force a belief on people.

The room is dark and the Head's voice is smooth and his earrings are glittering, and Han closes his eyes because otherwise he's going to fall like Liao is right now, and wow, he is never ever drinking tea made by the Head. Too dangerous.

Liao is going through the last stage now, repeating the Head's words and admitting bringing down the Wall was for the good of Ba Sing Se and not a betrayal, and – he will come back here if he ever feels that upset again.

And just like that, he is ready. It took less than an hour. Liao goes back to his work, and Han side-eyes the Head. And he thought he was scared of the Princess before.

There's no doubt about it. Qin, the head of Lake Laogai operations, is a really amazing person.