The Tales of Ba Sing Se:
The Tales of the Girls:
In the gang's shared bathroom, Aang shaved the small hair off his bald head to show his arrow. Sokka winked at his reflection as he finished shaving his upper lip. Katara was putting her hair loopies up. Aqua was brushing her hair out of the mess it had been in from the night before, her blue eyes bright. Lin was tying her hair back with a light green ribbon.
In the dark bedroom, Toph laid face down on her bed. Her hair was a foot away from her head in a messy fashion. Her clothing was covered in dirt and Katara walked in followed by Lin.
"Toph, aren't you going to get ready for the day?" Katara asked.
"It's almost noon, Toph." Lin said. Toph suddenly sat up. She spit, stood, and wiped a large amount of dirt off her pajama shirt.
"I'm ready." Toph said.
"…You're not going to wash up?" Katara asked as Aqua walked out of the bathroom. "You've got a little dirt on your…everyone actually."
"How can you be comfortable with all that on you?" Aqua asked.
"You call it dirt I call it a healthy coating of earth." Toph said.
"Healthy?" Lin asked.
"Hmmm, you know what we need?" Katara asked. "A girl's day out!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, we should." Lin nodded eagerly.
"How long has it been when just us girls did anything?" Aqua asked. Like, never.
"Do I have to?" Toph whined.
"It'll be fin." Katara insisted. After telling the boys and leaving them looking dumbstruck, that the girls were leaving them for the day, ten minutes later, the girls were standing in front of a large building.
"The Fancy Lady Day Spa, sounds like my kind of place." Toph said.
"Are you ready for some serious pampering?" Katara asked.
"Let's do it," Lin nodded.
"Sure, whatever you say, as long as they don't touch my feet." Toph said and the four girls walked into the large building.
A few minutes later, Katara, and Aqua were sitting peacefully as the workers scrubbed at their feet. Lin was winching every now and then, as her earth bending feet were more sensitive. Toph, meanwhile, was being held down by two women as another worked hard to scrub the blind earth benders feet. There was an explosion as one of the women were flung from Toph and slammed into the wall.
A little later, Toph, Katara, Aqua, and Lin were relaxing and taking mud baths. There was mud covering their faces and cucumbers covering their eyes and their hair wrapped in towels. Another woman walked in, holding a fresh batch of towels. Toph took a deep breath and used her earth bedning, making the mud on her face push up so it looked like some kind of monster. The woman screamed and ran off. The four girls laughed.
In a sauna, the four benders now sat with their bodies wrapped in towels peacefully. Toph kicked the ground and a rock from a nearby pile landed on the hotter rocks in the center. Lin kicked the ground to make another rock jump over. Aqua and Katara gentle water bended some water onto the pile, covering the room in steam. They sighed comfortable.
Now that their time at the spa was over, the four girls calmly walked down the streets of Ba Sing Se. Toph's hair was now combed back behind her ears and she wore make up as well. Katara, Aqua, and Lin looked similar but different styles.
"Well that wasn't so bad." Toph decided. "I'm not usually into that stuff, but I actually feel…girly."
"See Toph, it wasn't completely torture." Lin smiled.
"It was definitely something we should get together and do again. Maybe when everything is over," Aqua said and the girls nodded.
"Right, it's about time the four of us did something fun together." Katara smiled as they walked across a bridge over a river. They passed three girls holding umbrella's over their heads even though it wasn't raining, and haughty expressions on their faces. Each were a fancy dress, obviously rich city girls who probably got everything handed to them on a silver platter and never worked a day in their lives.
"Wow, great makeup." The girl in the center looked at Toph, smirking.
"Thanks," Toph smiled.
"For a clown!" the girl laughed. Toph frowned and stopped watching.
"How about you shut your mouth!" Lin glared, becoming sisterly protective over the young blind earth bender.
"Let's just keep walking." Katara said, wrapping her arm around Toph.
"We have better things to do then have a fight with a bunch of self-absorbed girls." Aqua said.
"I think she looks cute." The girl on the left said. "Like that time we put that sweater on your pet poodle monkey."
"Good one, Star!" the third girl said.
"Let's go," Katara said but Toph turned around.
"No, no. That was a good one! Like you're poodle monkey-haha!" Toph laughed loudly. "You know what else is a good one?" Toph pounded on the ground and a perfect circle appeared under the three mean girls and they screamed as they fell into a river below. Lin walked to the hole, smirked, and stomped on the ground three times. Three medium sized rocks fell, each hitting a girl on the head. Not enough to cause any damage but enough to hurt. Aqua used water bending to cause a wave over them so they were completely drenched.
"Now that was funny." Katara smirked. She waved her hands and the girls were flung down the stream. Toph was walking away but the others quickly caught up.
"Those girls don't know what they're talking about." Katara said.
"They're just insecure." Aqua said.
"Right, they need to try and make people feel bad to make them feel good about their selves." Lin stated.
"It's okay," Toph said, her head bowed. "One of the good things about being blind is I don't have to waste time worrying about appearances. I don't care what I look like. I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I know who I am." She said and they stopped walking.
"That's what I really admire about you, Toph." Katara said. "You're so strong and confident and self-assured. And I know it doesn't matter, but…you're really pretty."
"We agree, Toph." Lin and Aqua smiled.
"I'd return the compliment…but I have no idea what any of you look like." Toph said and the three taller girls laughed.
"Thank you…Katara, Lin, Aqua." Toph smiled and punched each of them in the shoulder. Lin was the only one not having to rub her arm from the pain.
The Tale of Iroh and Ember:
Iroh and Ember peacefully walked down the marketplace of Ba Sing Se when they stopped so Iroh could examine a large basket.
"If this is for a romantic picnic, may I suggest this lavender one." The merchant said.
"No, it's not a romantic picnic but it is a special occasion." Iroh said, paying the merchant. They were about to leave when Ember noticed a flower.
"This is a moonflower." Ember smiled, pushing the face into the shade when it blossomed. "It prefers growing in the shade."
Iroh and Ember once again stopped where they were selling an instrument. There was a crying little boy nearby but his mother couldn't calm him down. Iroh paid for this instrument and Ember watched as he walked to the little boy, playing and singing. "Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, come marching home!"
The little boy smiled and Ember giggled as the little boy tugged on Iroh's beard before his mother pulled him away. A few minutes later, Iroh and Ember entered a courtyard where four boys were playing with a white ball. One of the boys missed the ball and Iroh and Ember dodged as it flew between them, smashing into a nearby window.
"Hey!" an angry man from inside shouted. The boys gathered around Iroh and Ember.
"It usually is best to admit mistakes when they occur, and to seek to restore honor." Iroh said.
"Now's not the time for being wise," Ember gulped as the man appeared in the window.
"When I'm through with you kids, the window won't be the only thing that's broken!" the man shouted. Iroh, Ember, and all the kids took off running in different direction.
Ember finally found Iroh talking to a mugger. "What are you doing?" Iroh asked as Ember joined him in the ally.
"I'm mugging you!" the man insisted. Ember got prepared, in case this man was actually dangerous but he sure didn't seem like it.
"With that stance?" Iroh asked.
"Wha…" the mugger asked. He had apparently never met someone quite like Uncle Iroh. "What are you talking about? Just give me your money, old man!"
"With a poor stance you are unbalanced and you can easily be knocked over." In a single movement, Iroh had disarmed the mugger and sent him falling to the ground. Ember whistled. Then Iroh helped the man up and said, "With a solid stance, you are a much more serious threat." Iroh got into the proper stance and showed the man it as well. Was he really teaching this man to mug someone?
"Much better." Iroh praised. "But to tell you the truth, you do not like the criminal type."
"I know," The mugger sighed. "I'm…I'm just confused." A few minutes later, the three sat together in the ally sipping at their tea.
"So, you really think I could be a good masseur?" The mugger asked.
"Of course!" Iroh insisted.
"This is so great!" the man exclaimed. "No one has ever believed in me!"
"While it is always best to believe in one's self, a little help from others can be a great blessing." After this, Ember and Iroh visited Iroh's son, Lu Ten's, grave.
The Tale of Aang:
Aang was flying over the city on his glider before he landed in a deserted street. Aang passed the street and into a zoo where there was no one but various cages containing unhappy looking animals. Aang stopped and knelt at a cage that held an armadillo lion that was biting at the bars, trying to get out.
"Hey there, fella," Aang said, holding his hand out. "You look hungry." The armadillo lion roared and Aang jumped back surprised.
"They are hungry," someone said behind him. Aang screamed again and turned to see the zookeeper. "The Dai Li won't get me any money because the kids stopped coming. And the kids won't come because my zoo's nasty and broke."
Aang looked into one of the cages and said, "What kind of animal is that?" she asked.
"Oh, that's rabbiroo," the zookepper explained. The animal looked similar to a kangaroo. "I wish I could get her a big open prairie like she likes. I'd let her hop her way to happiness.
"Let's do it!" Aang grinned.
"Say again?" The zookeeper asked.
"There's a big open space right outside the walls of the city." Aang explained.
"But how are you going to transport all these wild critters?" the zookeeper asked.
Aang grinned and said, "Don't worry I'm great with animals." A few minutes later, there was a crash as hog-monkeys were wrecking one of the shops in the city. All the animals from the zoo were running all over the city.
"My cab…" a cabbage merchant shouted as the rabbiroo started to eat his merchandise. Aang flew onto the street and started to herd the animals.
"This was so much easier in my head." Aang sighed. Getting an idea, he pulled his bison whistle out and used air bending to blow it so the noise spread over the city. All the animals were in hearing distance so they all came running. Aang rode on his air scooter, still riding down the city as he blew his whistle.
At the gate, the zookeeper tried to get the guard to open the gates. "But you have to open this gate!" the zookeeper pleaded.
"Or what?" the guard demanded.
"Or that!" The zookeeper cried, pointing to where the animals, and Aang in the lead, were quickly coming.
"Open the gate!" the guard shouted and the large walls started to split apart. Aang ran by them, followed by the animals. He created a large circle in the ground so the animals couldn't escape and used earth bending to make the different species into different cages. The guard and zookeeper walked in with equal looks of amazement on their faces. Kids ran in, laughing as they explored the cities new zoo. More and more curious people arrived, enjoying their time as they looked at the animals.
"Well, Mr. Zookeeper, how do you like your new facilities?" Aang asked as they stood next to the pen with the rabbiroo, who apparently had three babies, were drinking from their new watering hole.
"Excellent job, Avatar." The zookeeper said pleased. "You should think about working with animals for a living."
"Mommy," a little boy nearby said to a middle-aged woman. "Ms. Snowflake got out again."
"Fluffykins?" 'Mommy' asked, looking in one of the pens where the cat was hissing. "What are you doing down there? The cat hissed at the elephant mandrill who he was currently sharing with.
"On second thought, you should probably stick to saving people." The zookeeper said. Aang laughed nervously.
The Tale of Sokka:
Sokka was walking down a candle lit street that night and threw his boomerang into the air bored and caught it as it came back. Sokka passed by a man struggling with his ostrich horse in an ally. He only stopped when he heard voices coming from a nearby building. His curiosity got the best of him and he peaked inside. There was a large stage and girls in pretty dresses and head pieces were spread around. There was a young woman standing on the stage. "Through all the long night, winter moon glows with bright love, sleet her silver tears."
"Poetry," Sokka noted. But that was when the nearby ostrich horse kicked out, sending Sokka into the window. The girls inside gasped surprised. Sokka quickly apologized, falling onto the stage. "I am so sorry. Something struck me in the rear. I just…wound up…here." He stopped as all the girls started laughing and clapping.
A woman with a stern face walked over, "Five, seven, then five, syllables mark a Haiku, remarkable oaf." The woman said sternly.
Sokka was annoyed at first, then said, "They call me Sokka, that is in the water tribe, I am not an oaf." The younger girls laughed.
The woman said, "Chittering monkey, in the spring he climbs treetops, and thinks him-self tall." The younger girls ooooohhhed. The woman circled Sokka and said, "Whole seasons are spent mastering the form, the style, none calls it easy."
"I calls it easy! Like I paddle my canoe, I'll paddle your too!" Sokka said. The younger girls laughed.
"There's nuts and there's fruits," the older woman plucked a plum from her sleeve and let it hit the ground. "In fall the clinging plumb drops, always to be squashed." And she stepped on the plum.
"Squish squash, sling that slang, I'm always right back at ya, like my boomerang!" The girls laughed at Sokka's haiku. The older woman glared and walked off the stage, unable to say anything else.
"That's right, I'm Sokka, it's pronounced with an 'okka', young ladies, I rocked ya." Sokka stopped as the girls just stared at him sullen and he counted the syllables out on his fingers. That last was one six.
A large man grabbed him by his collar and said, "Uh, that's one too many syllables there, bub." The man flung Sokka out and he landed roughly on the ground. "…Poetry," Sokka grumbled.
The Tale of Zuko and Jade:
In the teashop, Zuko, Iroh, Ember, and Jade were all gathering behind the counter as they gathered more tea cups. "We have a problem," Zuko said and the three turned to him curious. "One of the customers is on to us, don't look now, she knows where fire nation."
The three turned to the young girl sitting in the corner but Zuko snapped, "Didn't I say don't look."
"Well I'm not from the fire country," Jade pouted and Iroh grinned.
"You're right, Zuko." Iroh said. "I've seen that girl in here quite a lot. Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you."
"What?" Zuko said surprised. Jade glared at the girl jealously but Ember smirked. Maybe this girl would finally get Jade and Zuko together.
Then everyone suddenly turned to the counter as they noticed the girl standing there. "Thank you for the tea." The girl said, handing Zuko a few coins. "What's your name?" she asked as Jade and Ember hid in the back room where they made the tea.
"My name's Lee," Zuko answered. "My Uncle, cousins, and I just moved here."
"Hi Lee, my name is Jin." She smiled. "Thank you and…I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime." Zuko was surprised and everyone in the tea shop turned to the back where they heard something shatter. Jade stood there was a broken tea cup in her clenched hand, tea and blood splattered on the ground.
"Um…don't worry about us. We'll clean up." Ember said, leading Jade to the sink to help heal her hand. In the end, Ember had to bandage Jade's hand.
Iroh turned back to Jin and said, "He'd love to!"
"Great." Jin smiled. "I will meet you in front of the shop at sundown." She gave one last smile before leaving.
In the back, "Jade, do you want to talk?" Ember asked, tying the bandage around Jade's hand.
"No," Jade said.
"Well if you do…I'll always be here for you and don't worry, he'll realize his own feeling soon enough." Ember said and Jade blushed.
"You're one to talk. What about you and Jet?" Jade smirked.
"Please," Ember blushed. "On the off chance that I'll ever see him again, I doubt he could ever like me."
"Maybe if he gets his head out of his butt, he'll realize that not all of your bending is bad. He'll be thankful if you two ever get stuck in a cave and its freezing." Jade smirked and Ember rolled her eyes.
That night at sundown, Jade and Ember were waiting outside the shop for Iroh and Zuko to appeared. Finally, the door opened to reveal Zuko looking awkward in a handsome green outfit, his hair was combed down to his head. Jade covered her mouth to hide her giggled and Zuko huffed annoyed. Jin appeared a minute later.
"Well look at you," Jin giggled, messing up his hair. "You look so cute."
"It took my uncle ten minutes to do my hair," Zuko said. Jin grabbed his arm and led him away.
Ember turned to Jade, "Wanna go spy on the date?" she asked.
"Eh, why not?" Jade shrugged. She had to admit, she was curious. Jade and Ember stuck to the shadows and alleyways, following them to a restaurant. Zuko and Jin got a table and Jade and Ember sat at one nearby, hiding their faces from view by their menus. They weren't close enough to hear, although everyone heard when Zuko suddenly screamed at the waiter, "She's not my girlfriend", and the girls giggled as Zuko attempted to juggle but it ended up all over him.
Jade and Ember quickly followed as Zuko and Jin left the restaurant. The two girls stayed hidden in a nearby alley as Jin brought Zuko to a large empty courtyard. There was a large fountain in the center with thousands of unlit candles in the water and surrounding the fountain. Still unable to hear, the next they saw, Jin closed her eyes and Zuko used his fire bending to light the candles. When Jin opened her eyes, she was obviously amazed by what she saw.
Zuko and Jin were looking at each other and Jin climbed onto her tip toes. Jade got tears in her eyes but sighed relieved when Zuko put a familiar paper in between their faces. It was a coupon for a free cup of tea at the shop.
Jin took it, smiled, said something and Zuko closed his eyes. Jade took off running down the alley, hiding her tears as Jin got closer. Ember stayed long enough to see Zuko step back before Jin could kiss him before she ran after her sister.
Zuko, when Jin had reached up to kiss him, suddenly got an image of a laughing Jade in his head and he had stepped back. He couldn't do this, not with Jade always in his mind. Zuko quickly left, now that he had been out with another girl, he realized he couldn't stand the thought of Jade with another man.
In their apartment Jade was sitting at a table with her head buried in her arms. Ember was standing behind her and rubbing her back soothingly. That was when Zuko entered.
"How was your night, Prince Zuko?" Iroh questioned, but Zuko was caught up in the sight of Jade crying.
"Hey, what happened to Jade?" Zuko demanded, trying to get around her uncle but he kept getting in the way.
"Well…she kind of…saw you and lover girl." Ember confessed, winched.
"What! You were spying on me!" Zuko demanded angry.
"What do you care? You have a girlfriend now!" Jade huffed, standing up. She stood tall, even with tear streaks on her face and more tears coming before stomping past him.
"Jade, who said I had a girlfriend?" Zuko demanded, grabbing her wrist so she couldn't go to her and Ember's shared room.
" Let go of me, Prince Zuko," Jade glared.
"Oh, come on!" Ember finally exploded. The other two teens looked at her surprised while Iroh watched amused. "I'm sick of you two going on with this little love fest so I'm doing something about it!" she pushed Jade hard. Jade screamed surprised as she was slammed into Zuko, knocking him off his feet. The two teens looked at each other surprised, their lips connected from the fall. Jade was on Zuko's chest and his arms around her waist. They slowly closed their eyes and leaned into the kiss. Ember yawned and went to his room while Iroh poured himself a cup of tea. Slowly, a few minutes later, Zuko and Jade pulled apart. They stared into each other eyes wide, Zuko decided then that Jade was his girl and Jade blushed. Iroh coughed and the two pulled apart embarrassed before Jade quickly excused herself to her and Ember's shared room.
"So, Prince Zuko, how was your night?" Iroh questioned.
"It was great," Zuko smiled dazed. His thoughts were entirely on Jade as he walked into his and Iroh's shared room.
The Tale of Momo:
Momo was asleep in the house on the windowsill dreaming away. He was only awaken when thunder crackled. He jumped off the windowsill surprised and landed in Sokka's earth kingdom bag. He poked his head out and noticed something was resting on his head. A tuft of white fur that wasn't his. Appa's.
Momo looked out the window and saw an Appa shaped shadow just outside. Momo wrapped the fur around his front leg and flew out the window after the shadow. He was sadden when he realized it was just an Appa shaped cloud casting the shadow. However, he quickly noticed something else. On the side of the roof, it looked like Apppa. He flew off but was disappointed when he saw it was only a tree with white leaves and the branches were shaped like Appa's horns.
Momo landed on the branch disappointed. Momo flew off and into the city. He landed on a barrel and licked up at the water inside. However, his tail accidental knocked over a stick and it landed on the ground. The noise got the attention of three pygmy panthers that were searching for food. They growled and jumped at the lemur but he flew into a box that was too small for the panthers to get into, but a perfect size for him.
Momo slipped away in a crack in the box and flew off but the panthers were still after him. The panthers were running after him by jumping on the roof's but Momo managed to run on foot into a large crowd of people. The panthers weren't going to follow him then.
Then he was picked up by a strange man and a green hat was strapped onto his head. The man dropped him in a circle of people, between two monkeys who were dancing. Momo stood for a moment before 'doing as the romans do' and dancing along. The crowd cheered and the panthers were standing outside the crowd of people, waiting to get their dinner.
But then one of the monkey jumped on Momo's head, balancing on one hand while the second monkey joined in. Momo was struggling to stay standing, and the panthers finally couldn't take it anymore and jumped into the circle of people. Momo tried to fly away but was grabbed and all four fell to the ground. The dust they made disappeared and Momo was pinned to the ground. But that was when a net from an animal catcher caught them and they were thrown into cages and put in a cart. They rolled away and Momo petted the fur of Appa's still tied to his leg. They finally stopped at a butcher's shop.
Momo watched from his cage as the animal catcher and butcher argued but he couldn't understand what they were saying. Next to him in their own cage, the three panthers were crying, trying to get out. Momo had thumbs and managed to free himself and fly away. He was about to leave, but stopped and looked at the panthers who were giving him puppy dog faces. Momo sighed and flew back to free them. When the men came over, the cages were empty and the animals were nowhere to be found.
On a nearby roof, Momo and the panthers watched the clouds. The panthers were grateful for Momo helping them when he didn't have to. But that was when one of the panthers used his teeth and pulled the fur off Momo's leg before running off. Momo screamed and ran after him, followed by the other two. The panthers finally stopped and placed the fur on a hole in the ground.
Momo landed in the hole and the panthers ran off. Momo confused, looked down at the hole only to realize it was a footprint. Appa's footprint. Momo laid down, clinging onto the tuft of fur. Even as it started to rain, Momo refused to move, unwilling to leave the sign of his missing animal friend.