"Look! The inner wall!"
You looked out the window of the trolley at Katara's statement.
"I can't believe we finally made it to Ba Sing Se in one piece."
Sokka leaned forward suddenly to his sister. "Hey, don't jinx it! We can still be attacked by some exploding firenation spoon. Or find out that the city's been submerged in an ocean of killer shrimp."
"Spoon?" You echoed.
"Have you been hitting the cactus juice again?" Toph asked from beside him, Momo on her lap.
"I'm just saying… weird stuff happens to us."
As if on cue, a man with a corn cob in his mouth sat between Sokka and Toph.
Your eyes widened.
"Don't worry, Aang. We'll find Appa." Katara assured.
"It's such a big city." Aang reminded, voice quiet and losing hope.
"He's a giant bison, where could someone possibly hide him?" Sokka asked.
The trolley went through a tunnel, and when it emerged on the other side, you could see the massive city.
"Oh." Was all he said.
The trolley came to a stop and everyone climbed off.
"Back in the city… great." Toph grumbled, placing her fists on her hips.
"What's the problem? It's amazing!" Sokka questioned, looking out at the city.
"Just a bunch of walls and rules. You wait… you'll get sick of it in a couple of days."
"Hello. My name is Joo Dee."
You jumped about a foot in the air, the hair on the back of your neck standing up. Your hand flew to your neck to try to calm the goosebumps there as you turned, seeing a woman standing before you.
"I have been given the great honor of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, Toph and Y/n. Welcome to our wonderful city. Shall we get started?"
"Yes." Sokka said, voice firm. "We have information about the firenation army that we need to deliver to the Earth King immediately." He said, clutching his bag to his chest.
"Great! Let's begin our tour. Then I'll show you your new home here. I think you will like it." She said, walking away.
Sokka looked back at the group, dumbfounded. He chased after her. "Maybe you missed what I said. We need to talk to the king about the war. It's important."
"You are in Ba Sing Se now. Everyone is safe here." She said, grinning a little too widely for your taste.
"This is the lower ring." Joo Dee explained as you passed several houses in the carriage.
"What's that wall for?" Katara questioned.
"Oh, Ba Sing Se has many walls. There are the ones outside, protecting us, and the ones inside that help maintain order. This is where our newest arrivals live, as well as our craftsmen and artistes. People that work with their hands."
You looked out the window of the carriage. The place looked terrible. Many of the houses looked old and broken down, and the people wore ratty clothes.
"It's so quaint and lively."
You raised an eyebrow.
"You do want to watch your step, though."
"Why do they have all of these poor people blocked off in one part of the city?" Katara asked.
"This is why I never came here before." Aang piped up. "I always heard it was so different from the way the monks taught us to live."
You frowned. The people looked so unhappy.
"This is the middle ring of Ba Sing Se, home to the financial districts, shops and restaurants, and the university." Joo Dee explained.
"Yeah, we met a professor from the university." Sokka chimed in. "He took us to an underground library and we discovered information about the war that's absolutely crucial for the king to hear." Sokka said in one breath, getting up in Joo Dee's face.
"Isn't history fascinating?" She replied.
Sokka's face fell.
"Look, here's one of the oldest buildings in the middle ring." She said, pointing out the window. "Town hall." She climbed out of the carriage after it stopped.
"Is that woman deaf?" Sokka questioned. "She only seems to hear every other word I say."
"It's called 'being handled'." Toph informed, crossing her arms. "Get used to it."
"The upper ring is home to our most important citizens." Joo Dee informed.
"Yeesh." You muttered. "Who gets to decide that?" You grumbled under your breath.
"Your house is not too far from here."
"We're considered important citizens?" You asked in disbelief.
"The Avatar is a very important person. We are honored to have him with us." Joo Dee spoke, grinning.
"What's inside that wall?" Katara questioned as you went by a large building.
Three men with identical uniforms turned to watch the passing carriage, their eyes narrowing.
"And who are the mean looking guys in robes?" Sokka inquired.
"Inside is the royal palace. Those men are agents of the Dai Li, the cultural authority of Ba Sing Se." Joo Dee explained. "They are the guardians of all our traditions."
"Can we see the king, now?" Aang asked, skipping to the point.
"Oh, no." Joo Dee said, laughing to herself. "One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King."
You frowned. How were you ever supposed to get this information to him?
"Here we are. Your new home."
You looked at the house. It was quite lovely.
A man suddenly rushed up to Joo Dee, giving her a parchment. She opened it.
"More good news. Your request for an audience with the Earth King is being processed and should be put through in about a month!" She said happily. "Much more quickly than usual."
"A month!?" Sokka exclaimed.
"Six to eight weeks, actually." She grinned again.
"Isn't it nice? I think you will really enjoy it here."
"I think we'd enjoy it more if we weren't staying so long." Sokka countered.
You looked around the room. It was nice, but you had bigger things to worry about. You didn't have time for this.
"Ugh, we don't have time for this!" You yelled, clenching your fist at your side, you pointed with your other hand at Joo Dee. "Can't we see the Earth King any sooner?"
"The Earth King is very busy running the finest city in the world, but he will see you as soon as time permits."
You let out a noise of frustration, beginning to pace.
"If we're going to be here for a month, we should spend our time looking for Appa." Aang said.
"I will be happy to escort you anywhere you would like to go." Joo Dee assured, bowing.
"What about the palace?" You asked, turning to face her. "We would like to go there."
This gave Joo Dee pause, her smile fading. When she came up with something to say, her smile was back. "I will be happy to escort you to the palace when the king is free."
You rolled your eyes, beginning to pace again.
"We don't need a babysitter." Toph spoke, standing from her spot on the floor and walking towards the door.
"Oh, I won't get in your way." Joo Dee assured.
You noticed that she took a small step to the side in order to block Toph's path.
"That would make me a bad host. Where should we start?"
"I'm sorry, but I haven't heard anything about a flying bison." The man behind the counter said. "I didn't even know there were any."
"If someone wanted to sell an animal without anyone knowing, where would they go?" Aang asked.
"Where's the black market?" Sokka demanded. "Who runs it? Come on, you know."
"Uhh." The man began to sweat. You saw him glance over your shoulder before he said, "that would be illegal. You'll have to leave, now. Your lemur is harassing my sparrowkeet."
You looked over your shoulder, seeing Joo Dee, still smiling that fake smile. Your eyebrows furrowed as you faced forward again.
"Hmm. I've never seen any sandbenders or air nomads around here." A boy said.
At least you assumed he was a boy. He could have been older.
"You should ask Professor Zei." He pushed his glasses up his nose. "He teaches the class on desert cultures."
"Right. And which of your professors could we ask about the war with the firenation?" Sokka interrogated.
"Uh…" He trailed off, looking over Sokka's shoulder.
You and Sokka both turned, noticing. As suspected, Joo Dee was standing behind the water-tribe warrior.
"I don't know. I'm not a political science student." The boy quickly stood, clutching his papers to his chest. "I have to get to class." He explained, walking away. He tripped over himself, dropping his rolls of paper before hurriedly picking them up and rushing away.
"Well, I'm sorry no one has seen your bison." Joo Dee spoke from inside the carriage. "Why don't you go get some rest? Someone will be over with dinner later."
The carriage left.
"You know, if she wasn't so creepy and up to something, she'd seem quite nice." You voiced, crossing your arms, a scowl on your face.
"Hey, come with me." Sokka said, walking across the street and knocking on the door of the building across from yours.
An old man opened the door, smiling. "Hey, you're the Avatar. I heard you were in town. I am Pong."
"Nice to meet you, Pong." Aang greeted.
"So, Pong, what's going on with this city?" Sokka questioned. "Why is everyone here so scared to talk about the war?"
"War? Scared? What do you mean?" Pong asked, glancing around.
"You're joking, right?" You inquired.
"I can feel you shaking." Toph informed.
"Look, I'm just a minor government official." Pong said, now whispering. "I've waited three years to get this house. I don't want to get into trouble."
"Get in trouble with who?" Katara questioned.
"Shh. Listen to me, you can't mention the war here. And whatever you do, stay away from the Dai Li." Pong advised, shutting the door.
Katara rushed inside the next morning, holding a roll of paper in her hand. "I've got it! I know how we're going to see the Earth King!"
"How are we supposed to do that?" Toph asked. "One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King!" She exclaimed, imitating Joo Dee.
"The king is having a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear."
"Bear?" You echoed.
"You mean platypus-bear?" Aang questioned.
"No, it just says bear."
"Certainly you mean his pet skunk-bear." Sokka piped up.
"Or his armadillo-bear." Toph added.
"Gopher-bear?" You offered.
"Just… bear." Katara insisted.
"This place is weird." Toph murmured.
"The palace will be packed, we can sneak in with the crowd."
"Won't work." Toph informed, falling backwards to lie down on the floor.
"Why not?"
"Well, no offense to you simple country folk, but a real society crowd would spot you a mile away." She declared, picking up an item of food from the tray next to her. "You've got no manners."
"Excuse me? I've got no manners?" Katara challenged, pointing a finger at her chest. "You're not exactly lady-fancy-fingers."
"I learned proper society behavior and chose to leave it." Toph reminded. "You never learned anything, and frankly it's a little too late."
"But you learned it! You could teach us!" Sokka exclaimed.
"Yeah, I'm mastering every element." Aang added. "How hard can manners be?" He hopped off of the railing he was sitting on and grabbed a curtain from the wall, wrapping it around himself. "Good evening Mister Sokka Watertribe." He greeted. "Miss Katara Watertribe. Lord Momo of the Momo Dynasty. Your Momoness."
You shook your head, fighting the smile that so desperately wanted to make itself known.
"Avatar Aang, how you do go on." Sokka said in a fake voice, also with a curtain around him.
Aang bowed, then Sokka bowed, Aang, Sokka, then they bowed together, butting heads and collapsing.
"Katara might be able to pull it off." Toph voiced, standing and walking over. "But you two would be lucky to pass as bus boys."
"But I feel so fancy." Sokka complained.
You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms.
"Hey, what about Y/n? Can she pull it off?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure." Toph admitted. "She's the ground between you two and Katara."
"Well, she could try." Sokka suggested. "She might not get in, otherwise."
Toph nodded. "Okay. Katara, Y/n, come with me." She said, walking away.
The door opened, revealing Aang and Sokka playing the elements.
"Wow. You look beautiful." Aang spoke, blushing.
Katara opened her mouth to respond, but Toph placed her fan over the waterbender's mouth.
"Don't talk to the commoners, Katara. First rule of society."
"We'll get into the party and find a way to let you two in through the side gate." Katara informed the boys as she and Toph walked out.
You turned to the two. "There's so much makeup." You complained. "I feel like a doll."
The boys shared looks, both shrugging.
"You'd better go after them before you lose them." Sokka suggested.
"Yeah." You muttered, walking out the door after the girls.
You were next. The front of the line, waiting to be accepted into the palace.
"Invitations, please."
"I think this will do." Toph declared, holding out her Beifong card.
"No entry without invitation. Step out of line, please."
"Look, the Peng's and the Han's are waiting in there for us." Toph lied, putting the card in her sleeve. "I'm gonna have to tell them who didn't let me in."
"Step out of line, please."
The three of you walked away.
Katara's eyes lit up. She approached a man whose carriage just pulled up. "Sir, I'm sorry to bother you, my cousin lost our invitations." She told him. "She's blind." She whispered. "Do you think you could help us? Our family's inside, and I'm sure they're very worried."
The man bowed slightly. "I am honored. Please come with me." He led the three of you inside, passed the man that denied your entry. "Isn't it beautiful?"
It truly was. There was a giant room with green lanterns along the ceiling and tables as far as they could go.
You spotted the bear. It was on the table, scarfing down the food that sat there.
"By the way, I'm Long Feng. I'm a cultural minister to the king."
Katara placed a hand on her chest. "I'm Wa Mei. And this is Dum." She introduced, gesturing to Toph.
Toph pulled at Katara's headpiece.
You were struggling to come up with a name, but thankfully Long Feng decided it didn't matter.
"Now, where is your family?"
This wasn't any better.
"I'd love to meet them."
"Um. I don't see them right now." Katara said, rubbing the back of her neck. "But I'm sure we'll find them soon." She began leading Toph away, you shortly behind them. "Thanks for all your help!"
You faced forwards, only to halt when you realized Long Feng stood in front of you.
"Don't worry. As your escort it would be dishonorable to abandon you ladies without finding your family first. We'll keep looking."
Having no way out, you were forced to follow him.
"Another crab puff, please." Toph said.
"You found us!" Aang exclaimed quietly.
"I'd know your little footsteps anywhere, Twinkle Toes."
"Thanks for letting us in." Sokka hissed.
They were dressed as bus boys, carrying platters.
"Sorry, but the guy who let us in, won't let us out of his sight." Katara explained quietly.
"What guy?"
You turned. Long Feng was gone.
"What are you doing here?" Joo Dee asked, approaching the group. "You have to leave immediately or we'll all be in terrible trouble."
"Not until we see the king." Sokka denied.
"You don't understand. You must go." She pushed Sokka, who fell into Aang.
The jug of tea Aang was carrying spilled on a woman. She let out a noise.
"Sorry! No, don't shout!" Aang pleaded quietly. He airbended her, drying the tea. Her hair and clothes were messed up, and her makeup was running.
"The Avatar." She breathed, not upset. "I didn't know the Avatar would be here."
Everyone turned, their attention now on the airbender.
Sokka whispered something to him before walking away.
"Watch this, everybody!" Aang shouted, leaping onto the table and out of his bus boy uniform. He began to bend the tea, making a show.
A distraction.
You looked around, and sure enough, you couldn't find Sokka.
All of the sudden, members of the Dai Li approached you, placing earth around your wrists so you couldn't move them.
"Hey, what's-"
They placed some over your mouth, so you couldn't speak.
They grabbed Toph and Katara as well, dragging you away.
"Why won't you let us talk to the king?" Sokka inquired, pointing at Long Feng.
They had taken you all in another room. It was dark, and Long Feng sat in front of a fireplace.
"We have information that can defeat the firenation."
"The Earth King has no time to get involved in political squabbles of the day-to-day minutia of military activities."
"This could be the most important thing he's ever heard." Aang insisted.
"What's most important to his royal majesty is maintaining the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se. All of his duties relate to issuing decrees on such matters. It's my job to oversee the rest of the city's resources… including the military."
"So the king is just a figure-head." Katara deduced.
"He's your puppet!" Toph accused.
"Oh, no, no. His majesty is an icon, a god to his people. He can't sully his hands with the hourly changes of an endless war."
"But we found out about a solar eclipse that will leave the firenation defenseless!" Sokka argued. "You can lead an invasion-"
"Enough!" Long Feng stood and Sokka backed up. "I don't want to hear any more of your ridiculous plan. It is the strict policy of Ba Sing Se that the war not be mentioned within the walls. Constant news of an escalating war will put the citizens of Ba Sing Se in a state of panic. Our economy would be ruined, our peaceful way of life, our traditions would disappear."
"Dragging us in the back and not letting anyone speak about the war doesn't sound peaceful to me." You countered, crossing your arms.
He turned to you, his gaze cold. "In silencing talk of conflict, Ba Sing Se remains a peaceful, orderly utopia. The last one on earth."
"You can't keep the truth from all these people." Katara said. "They have to know."
"I'll tell them." Aang threatened, taking a step forward. "I'll make sure everyone knows."
"Until now, you've been treated as our honored guest." Long Feng leaned down over Aang. "But from now on, you will be watched every moment by Dai Li agents." He turned and walked over to the fire, looking into it. "If you mention the war to anyone, you will be expelled from the city. I understand you've been looking for your bison." He looked over his shoulder to view the group. "It would be quite a shame if you were not able to complete your quest."
"Why, you little-"
Sokka reached a hand out to steady you, holding you back.
Long Feng sent an amused look your way before sitting back down. "Now Joo Dee will show you home."
A woman walked in, turning to face you. "Come with me, please."
"What happened to Joo Dee?" Katara questioned, for the woman in front of you was not the Joo Dee that you'd grown so accustomed to seeing every time you turned around.
"I'm Joo Dee. I will be your host as long as you are in our wonderful city." She spoke, bowing slightly before standing up and grinning.
Something was definitely going on here.