'Tello everybody, I just want to apologize to anyone who was reading Dusk. I am very sorry that I deleted it but I get bored very easily and I am very indecisive so yeah. I will really try not to delete this one.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

(Me)

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter One: The Faces of Ba Sing Se

Part One: The Upper Ring

Katara

Ba Sing Se is much more beautiful than I thought it would be. At least, the upper ring is. I exited the trolley after Toph and my brother Sokka. They were engaged in a heated debate over something trivial that I refused to bother myself with. Aang stepped out after me. The rest of us had already begun walking. After waving good-bye to the trolley driver, he had to jog to catch up. "So what are we going to do first guys?" He chirped.

Faintly I could hear Sokka stop his bickering with Toph and answer him but I was too in awe of my surroundings to pay him much mind. Every street and alley had floors fashioned out of smooth even stone. The houses around me seemed to take my breath away. Each was carefully carved from the finest of rock and the beautiful colors and designs could have made me faint if I had been someone else. The people themselves seemed otherworldly, like spirits that descended down to earth so they could poke fun at the mortals for not being as wonderful.

The women wore fancy robes tied together with colorful sashes and the men were loaded down with more gold than I have ever seen in my life. I began to finger my own blue robe feeling very much out of place in this sea of elegance. "We'll get this one!" Sokka exclaimed, pulling me out of a daze I hadn't even realized I'd went in to.

He was pointing wildly at a house in such a way I found it embarrassing. (I found out later from Aang that I actually tried to hide my face) Rolling my eyes, I stalked forward and checked the tag hanging from the house Sokka had chosen. I nearly choked on my own spit. "Sokka," I screeched, "you can't even pay attention! How do you expect to buy this?"

"That won't be a problem," a voice sounded behind me, I unconsciously shivered, "the avatar and his friends are honored guests here." The entire gang turned to the newcomer. Everyone else was wondering how he managed to appear out of nowhere while Aang (Predictably) did not seem suspicious of the stranger at all. "Hiya! My name is Aang, what's yours?" The man smiled.

It wasn't a nice smile like one a grandmother gives her grandchild when they are baking pastries together. This smile practically screamed 'hidden agenda' and I didn't like it one bit. "My name is Long Feng." He answered. I could not help but notice how it sounded exactly like long fang, the thing you see on a spider-snake before it bites you on the foot. "I am the head of Da Li, the law enforcers here in Ba Sing Se and I have come to welcome you personally. I also found it appropriate give you young people a tour of the upper ring."

Long Feng did not even wait for us to answer. He clapped his hands twice and an ostrich-horse drawn carriage appeared. The driver didn't seem to notice us or anyone else for that matter. He just continued to stare ahead with a blank, misty gaze. He somewhat unnerved me. The carriage door creaked open slowly. I immediately began straightening my hair.

I expected someone extraordinary to appear but to my disappointment that is not what happened. Out stepped a normal woman with normal looking hair, a plain robe, and a wide smile. She bowed lowly, her grin never faltering. "Hello. I am Ju Dee and I will be your escort around Ba Sing Se." She said brightly. Long Feng turned towards her. The sight of his tight braid made me wish I could reach u and snatch my own from the back of my head.

"Show them a good time Ju Dee while I stay here and make sure their new home is livable when they return." He waved to us as we loaded into the carriage, and even when were already half way down the street. I'm not sure if it was just the heat but I know I saw Long Feng's smile drop into a deep frown.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"And this is the central fountain," Ju Dee informed, "every ring has one here in Ba Sing Se." Aang seemed to be the only one actually enjoying this tour of the upper ring. Both Toph and Sokka were sprawled in a tangled mess on the backseat. Ju Dee did not seem to notice that they were sleeping even though their combined snoring was enough to wake the dead.

I tried to be polite and listen as she explained the significance of the central fountains. Still I found myself more interested in the watching colors blend together as we rode by than listening to Ju Dee speak. Suddenly a loud thud brought everyone's attention to he back of the three rowed carriage. "Get the heck off me snoozles." Toph grunted even though she had already shoved Sokka onto the floor.

He mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'cactus juice' before rolling over and beginning to snore loudly again. "Your friends seemed tired," Ju Dee said quickly, "why don't we go back and see if Long Feng has finished fixing up your new home." She was definitely trying to get rid of us but why?

It was then that it came to me.

She was trying to keep us from seeing something. The palace. We had been going fast that I hadn't even noticed when passed it and Ju Dee didn't even try to point. She didn't want us to see the king.

Part Two: The Lower Ring

Zuko

I sat squished between my uncle and another man with an even rounder belly. The rickety trolley bounced along, tossing it's occupants around like salad. "I despise Ba Sing Se." I muttered quietly. Uncle was not supposed to hear me but he did anyway. I forgot only a couple of centimeters separated us.

"Now nephew," he said while struggling to pat me on the back, (With so many people piled into so little space it proved to be quite difficult) "that's not the kind of attitude to have!" I could barely make out what uncle was saying because the man beside me was snoring so ferociously. "Peasants," I growled, "have no manners." Then uncle did the unthinkable, he laughed…at me.

"I find nothing about this situation funny uncle." I hissed. Many of the other passengers sent me looks of disapproval because of how I am treating him but I could not care less about what they thought. I have no time to try to make friends with these peasants. You can take away my palace and my armor but you can't take away my royal blood. Well you could, I just die. I would die a prince though. "I'm sorry Li," (How I hate that alias) my uncle told me after his laughter had faded to small chuckles, "I didn't mean to offend you. It's just; you're as much a peasant as anyone else here." I snarled and turned my head. I don't care what uncle says, I'll never be one of them.

It was not long before uncle had gotten over the incident and moved on to something else. "What a beautiful baby!" He exclaimed while leaning over to coo at the couple beside the snoring man. "Uncle stop it, there's not enough room." I snapped, trying to push his torso from off my lap. "What is her name?" I gritted my teeth together. He is purposely ignoring me and I find that extremely irritating.

"Hope." The infant's mother exclaimed brightly.

I glowered at the wall above uncle's head. Even newlywed refuges have more hope than I do.

When the stupid trolley finally pulled to a stop, I was cramping in places I didn't even know I had. Everyone filed out onto the loading deck. Uncle and I passed a pair of noble girls. "I didn't know the Da Li allowed so much trash onto the loading deck." One of them sneered. They both their noses up to us as if we weren't worth their time. Before I know what I had done, the girl who had spoken was on the ground with a black eye.

Immediately the crowd fell into chaos. I turned to the girl's companion, the only that saw me do it and flashed a threatening look. Then I disappeared into the swarm of people. Uncle was overcome with worry when I finally caught up to him. "Where were you?" He asked. I shrugged but did not say a word.

Uncle frowned at me but did not press the subject. "Where is the money bag?" I reached for the bag that hung on my waist but grabbed air. It was gone. Uncle collapsed on the cracked sidewalk. "What are we supposed do now? We have no money." I was quiet for a while. "I'll get the money Uncle." He gazed up at me. "How…" I looked into his eyes. "I said…I'll get it."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The blue spirit mask clung to my face tightly. With every step I took, the mask seemed to grow heavier almost as if it weighed five tons. My broad swords beat against my back as I slipped from rooftop to rooftop.

With a calming breath a dove over the edge of the house I had just appeared on. I landed soundlessly in an alley that seemed to be abandoned to catch my breath. The trip from the lower ring to the upper ring is much more tiresome than I thought it would be.

I picked myself up from the golden brick wall I was leaning against and walked out into the middle of the street. Everyone else was in bed by now so I wouldn't have to worry about being seen. Uncle had managed to find a pretty decent apartment that did not require payment on the first night.

'At least I know uncle is okay.'

Suddenly a huge chunk of rock came whizzing by my ear, missing me by only a inch or so. Within a blink of the eye, men in dark green robes surrounded me. "Stop right there hooligan!" One of them ordered. I rolled my eyes. Hooligan, really? Rolling my eyes, I reached behind me for my broad swords. No soon as they were drawn, I was attacked by a barrage of stones.

I managed to deflect some of them and dodged the rest. I dipped lowly to the ground and stuck out my swords. I quickly executed a three sixty spin that forced my attackers to give me some space. I took this opportunity to dive at the soldier directly across from me. He was much more awkward than the others were. I could se him stumbling occasionally when the attacks first began. I could see the fear flash across his eyes as I rushed towards him. Closing my own so I would not have to see what I would have to do, I slashed at his neck.

Part Three: Lake Laogi

Ju Dee

"Somebody help me!" I cried into the darkness but received no answer. I was cold wherever I am. The clothes I'm in aren't the ones I remember changing into this morning before I left for the market. Although I promised myself a long time ago it would never happen, I am afraid.

Suddenly the door opened. How had I not noticed that before?

In stepped a man with long brown hair pulled back into a thick braid. I squinted my eyes in the darkness for a better look. "Long Feng?" I whispered, not really believing what I was seeing. This man couldn't be Long Feng. He protected Ba Sing Se, why would he kidnap me?

'Too many questions.'

"Hello my dear," he started with a dangerous smile, "it has recently come to my attention that you are worrying out residents with all your talk about war." I struggled to lift myself up. I just now noticed that both my legs and arms were bound by shackles made of earth.

"They deserve to know!" I shouted. "The war is real, people are dying!" Long Feng's smile dropped almost instantly. "Here in Ba Sing Se there is no such thing as war." He replied sternly. With a tamed snarl he added: "Take her." Two Da Li appeared beside him. They each grabbed one of my arms and yanked by up to my feet.

I screamed loudly but no one that would help me could hear it.

They brought me to a room much like the one I was in before. There was a wooden chair in the middle with a two long bars of earth almost like train tracks surrounding it. One of the Da Li agents strapped me into the chair while the other pulled out a match and lit a candle.

He placed it gently into a stone candleholder and set in on the mini train tracks. He raised his hand, slowly rotating it with the candle following his motions. "Welcome to Lake Laogi."

R&R