Chapter 6: A Flower in the City of Secrets
Katara stuck by Iroh and Zuko's side as they once again handed over their documents, registering through customs. Katara couldn't help but observe every hall and room they went through, checking for any sign of Jet and his gang following. She hadn't seen any sign of him since they had boarded the train, but she wasn't willing to let her guard down. This was Jet, after all. He was crazy and obsessive. Even if she didn't see him, that didn't mean he wasn't just managing to stay out of sight, hidden as he prepared to attack her friends when they didn't expect it.
She'd been in Ba Sing Se for hours, and she still couldn't let her guard down.
She knew Zuko was thinking along the same lines. She noticed his eyes moving over a scene, taking in every face and possible threat. Though he tried not to stand in any obvious bending stance, she saw that he was prepared to assume a stance at any sign of trouble. In front of them, Iroh discussed lodging casually, figuring out where they were to stay. Their apartment was temporarily provided to them; they would have to work in order to keep it. Hopefully, they would be able to find work that they would be able to do.
Not too soon, they had the key to their apartment, and were free to leave. Katara couldn't help but release a sigh. She hoped that they would be able to lose Jet—if they hadn't already—in the streets of Ba Sing Se. Before they left the office, she couldn't help but glance back. Were Sokka and Aang here yet? She could ask the customs office—but then Zuko would know, if he were with her. She grimaced slightly, looking back to Zuko, who was waiting for her to come with him and his uncle. I'll have to figure it out on my own time, she decided. Best not to remind Zuko of his original mission. Not yet.
They stepped out into the Lower Ring.
It reminded Katara of other Earth Kingdom towns that Katara had been to. Except bigger, and more restricted. Zuko was sulking, a grim pout on his face as they followed Iroh through the ring. "Can we just go to the apartment already?" he complained as Iroh began surveying a shop's goods. He became interested in a potted flower.
"Zuko has a point," Katara said quietly, looking around again. Still no sign of Jet. Which still didn't mean he wasn't there, hidden. "There's something we need to talk about. In private."
Iroh turned to look at them, assessing their faces. His smile fell slightly as he saw the mixtures of grimness and worry. He took another look at the flowers, but then nodded. "We can shop later," he agreed. He smiled again. "After we look at our apartment, we'll be better able to know how much decoration we can put in. And how to match it!" Zuko groaned, grimacing as he shook his head. But the three of them left the shops and resumed their trek through the Lower Ring.
The main street was large and wide; carriages would sometimes come through. Those, Katara understood, came from the Upper Ring, where the rich and government officials lived. Katara frowned as she saw a few ill-dressed children playing with a ragged ball. This was a sort of stratification she hadn't seen before. She sighed, shaking her head. Not everywhere is the Southern Water Tribe, she tried to remind herself. The Northern Water Tribe had been different from her own, having its own hierarchy which was far more rigid than what she was familiar with. But Ba Sing Se seemed to take it to whole new level. Indeed, the Middle and Upper Rings excluded people from the Lower Ring from entering as a general matter. She took a glance at Iroh and Zuko, trying to see if they were anywhere near as unnerved as she was. Iroh was as happy as ever, and Zuko had a grumpy scowl on his face; neither expression indicated any particular opinion on the setup of Ba Sing Se. I wonder what it's like in the Fire Nation.
It hadn't taken too long, but it had felt like forever before they reached their apartment. Katara had seen worse. She had also seen better. Iroh led introductions as they went towards their own apartment. Finally, they entered, closing the door behind them. Katara let out a breath. Iroh was still smiling as he found a place to put the potted flowers. Zuko, in the meantime, was scowling as he checked all the doors and tried to cover all the windows. Katara saw him checking the windows; they were large, and faced a balcony on the other side. Finally, he let out his own frustrated breath, before turning to face Uncle Iroh. "We have a problem," he said, trying to keep his voice low. They didn't know how much sound would pass through the walls, or how sound would carry to the surrounding area. Katara glanced again at the window with the balcony on the other building.
Iroh raised an eyebrow before he sat. "What now?" he asked.
"Jet saw you," Zuko said, arms crossed. "When you heated your tea at the train station, he saw you do it." Katara raised her eyebrows. Heated his tea? She let out a groan.
Iroh's face fell. "I see," he said, rubbing his chin. "Are you certain?"
"I saw his face," Zuko told his uncle. "I think he did. And I'm pretty sure he's been following us since then." He looked to Katara. "I hoped that we lost him after getting off of the train…but I'm not sure. I thought I may have seen him for a moment in the Lower Ring."
"It could be a coincidence," Iroh said, motioning with his hand.
"No," Katara denied, stepping forward. "Jet is obsessive. He hates the Fire Nation, and everyone in it. Regardless of who they actually are." She frowned. "He once tried to destroy a town full of people from the Fire Nation. He didn't care about the innocent people there who would get hurt." She looked at her two friends. "Zuko's right. Jet saw you, and now he'll be after you. He won't be letting this go."
"Hm," Iroh acknowledged. "I should have been more careful. I apologize. I'm afraid we'll all have to be more careful now."
"What are we going to do?" Katara asked.
"We're going to do nothing," Iroh told her, and she shared a baffled glance with Zuko. "It is unfortunate that Jet saw something he shouldn't have, but he has no proof. He has nothing that can compromise our safety here—we must ensure that it stays that way." He looked at Zuko. "We will not seek out a fight. We will live as Mushi and Li. We will not do anything that suggests that we are anything but another pair of Earth Kingdom refugees."
Katara shook her head. "That won't be enough," she told him, anxiety creeping into her voice. "Jet will never let this go."
"What do you suggest?" Iroh asked her, raising a patient eyebrow. His patience was rarely so frustrating. "Any action that we could take would only further endanger us. We can only wait, and hope that this resolves itself peacefully."
"It won't," she muttered, thinking of Jet's satisfied smirk as the dam by Gaipan had been blown up.
Iroh ignored her. "We should buy ourselves some decorations for our new home. And we'll need jobs, like anyone else in this city. I saw a sign asking for workers in a tea shop."
Zuko gave him an incredulous glare. "You're out of your mind, Uncle. After this, you want to work in a tea shop?"
Iroh smiled. "I've always wanted to work at a tea shop," he told them cheerfully. "Don't worry. I won't be doing anything to arouse suspicion from now on." He motioned to them to follow as he went out the door.
Katara shared a look with Zuko as he stood closely beside her. "Do you have any other ideas?" she asked him quietly.
Zuko scowled for a moment before he let out a breath, shaking his head. "No. We just have to wait, and be careful."
They followed Iroh out of the apartment, into the streets of Ba Sing Se.
Iroh went directly to the tea shop he had seen earlier to offer his, Zuko's, and Katara's services. He left Katara and Zuko at the flower shop they had passed by earlier while he talked to the tea shop owner, Pao, about jobs. Katara and Zuko stayed close to each other; with Jet possibly following them, they were reluctant to separate for long. Zuko glanced down the street. He knew Uncle Iroh was more than capable of protecting himself. But Uncle Iroh could also have moments of foolishness, such as poisoning himself with tea, or exposing himself as a firebender by heating tea with his hands.
Zuko was half-inclined to suggest a ban on tea. Not that Iroh would listen if he did.
"Oh, this flower is beautiful," he heard Katara say. Zuko looked to the flower she was admiring.
The shop keeper stepped by. "You have a great taste in flowers," he told Katara, a large smile on his face. Zuko scowled. The statement may or may not have been true, but Zuko knew the man wanted to sell his flowers. But the man stayed by them and took a large sniff of the flower. "This is an Omashu Mountain Orchid. It's a pretty and fragrant flower. Not usually too rare—but with the fall of Omashu to the Fire Nation, it's become much more difficult to cultivate and transport. This is the last of the cultivar I purchased." It wasn't a bad looking flower, Zuko supposed. It was colorful—bright pink in the middle, fading to red, with a vibrant purple edge. Katara seemed quite taken with it. She smiled as she took a sniff of it. A few strands of her thick, dark hair fell over her shoulder as she leaned forward.
A moment later, Iroh called out to them, waving his hand with a large grin on his face as he approached the flower shop. Katara walked over to him. Zuko watched his uncle and his friend interact for a moment, letting out a small breath of relief. He turned to look at the flower again for a few long moments. It was a nice flower, and Katara seemed to like it. He thought of her amazement at the blooming cherry blossoms from weeks earlier. He picked up the flower pot, turning to the shop keeper. "How much for this?"
He paid for the flower before returning to Uncle Iroh and Katara's side. He couldn't help but smile slightly when he saw Katara's smile at the flower, nor did he miss the vaguely pleased look on Uncle Iroh's face before he returned to looking at an orange flower. After a few long minutes, Iroh grinned as he picked up the potted flower and took it to the shop owner. He exchanged a friendly greeting as he bought the potted flower. He returned to the teenagers' side. "I suppose this is enough for now," Iroh conceded. After all, they had limited funds. With that, the three of them began walking back to their apartment. Zuko couldn't help but glance at the orange flower that Iroh was carrying. "I just want our place to look nice, in case someone brings home a lady friend!" Iroh told him, nudging Zuko with his elbow.
What? Zuko could hardly believe the suggestion. Was Iroh serious? He couldn't be—yet it appeared that he was. Zuko scowled in response to Uncle Iroh's teasing suggestion. "This city is a prison," he said glumly. "I don't want to make a life here." How could such a thing even work? As far as anyone in Ba Sing Se knew, Zuko was Li, one of many refugees. He doubted that there was anyone in the city who would want to be anywhere near him if they knew who he really was. He'd already learned his lesson on that.
The only people in the city who knew him were Uncle Iroh and Katara.
"Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not," Iroh told him. Zuko frowned. Sometimes, his uncle's infinite words of wisdom could be really frustrating. "Now come on, I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon!" A new job serving people tea, Zuko thought. Is this really how I'm meant to spend my life?
"Right now," Katara said quietly and Zuko could hear irritation seeping through her voice. "We just need to be sure you don't end up in an actual prison."
Zuko frowned as he looked at her. At some point, she had slipped further back from Zuko and Iroh. She looked oddly flustered, her cheeks a bit darker than usual. She had an odd frown on her face, and she wouldn't quite meet his eyes. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
She shook her head, but Zuko wasn't sure that he was convinced. "I'm fine," she said. "I just want to get back to the apartment quickly." Zuko made no response, though he noticed her looking at him as they walked along. Something about it made him feel strangely nervous. The flowerpot felt both light and heavy in his hands.
The trio walked along.
Jet watched Katara, Li, and Mushi walk through the streets of Ba Sing Se, the two firebenders carrying pots of flowers.
"Look at them, firebenders living right under everyone's nose," he said to Smellerbee and Longshot. "How can Katara stand to be beside them?" He thought she knew what they were—or did she? Yet again, he was confused by Katara's presence. On one hand, she seemed to have been with them for long enough to trust them. Long enough that, surely, she must have known what they really were. Which would also explain why she was so defensive of them. On the other hand, the girl he'd known in the forest wouldn't walk beside two firebenders so casually. Katara wouldn't willingly defend a pair of firebenders.
"Jet," Smellerbee said, gentle, yet tired from making the same argument again. "You saw a man with a hot cup of tea. It doesn't prove he's a firebender." I've already explained what I saw to you a dozen times, Jet thought. "And what if he is, are we supposed to attack them ? Katara doesn't seem to think they're a threat. I thought we were starting over here, changing our ways."
"We are," Jet insisted, ignoring the part about Katara. "When I get the evidence I need, I'll report them to the police and let them handle it." He turned to look at his friends. "Okay?" Neither looked convinced.
"Katara trusts them," Smellerbee pointed out again.
"They're Fire Nation."
"Okay. But we still don't know them, Jet. Maybe we're missing something. Maybe you should try talking again. Or just let it go."
"Katara's not thinking straight," Jet snapped. "She—she…I don't know! Maybe she just likes Li too much to think clearly!"
Longshot gave him an unimpressed look, while Smellerbee scowled. "You think Katara brought a pair of firebenders into the Earth Kingdom capital because she has a crush? You better not tell her that. I told you before, I'm not chipping ice off of you again."
Jet felt blood in his cheeks, and he turned away from his friends.
Somehow, it had felt like it had taken forever to reach Ba Sing Se. It was almost hard to believe that it had only been a few weeks ago that they had been momentarily reunited with Katara. Since then, they had formed a basic plan to attack the Fire Nation, lost Appa, wandered the desert, been reunited with Suki, and foiled another plan by the Fire Nation. And that was saying nothing of the hassle it had been to be allowed into the city; Toph and Suki were the only ones with any official documentation. Despite being the Avatar, Aang could only wait for hours after the fight on the drill as officials identified him, documented their entry into Ba Sing Se, and made living arrangements for him and his friends. Aang couldn't help but hope that their stay in Ba Sing Se would be short.
He glanced at Sokka and Suki, who were sitting closely together, looking awkwardly at the corn-sucking man sitting near them. To Aang's right sat Toph, who had been in a better mood since she had fought the chi-blocking girl who fought beside Azula. Still, Toph appeared annoyed as the train took them into the city. Aang looked outside the window, observing the large city. Even though he saw no apparent sign of Appa, he felt certain that Appa was in the city somehow. Somewhere. It was only a matter of finding him. But he somehow knew it wasn't going to be easy. Is anything ever easy these days? The city was so big—even though Sokka didn't think it would be possible to hide a flying bison, a quick survey of the city showed that there was a lot of space to hide Appa.
The four of them and Momo got off of the train. "Back in the city. Great," Toph remarked, sarcasm dripping from her tongue.
"What's the problem?" Sokka asked, excitement coloring his voice. "It's amazing!" At least Sokka was happy, for once.
"It's just a bunch of walls and rules," Toph told him. "You wait, you'll get sick of it in a couple of days." Aang didn't quite disagree. Ba Sing Se was, from all he'd ever heard, the opposite of everything he had ever learned from the Air Nomads. The class structure and the rigid restrictions were not appealing to Aang, despite the interest in the Earth Kingdom capital. He wanted to find Appa, find Katara, give their information on the eclipse to the Earth King, and leave.
Aang looked out at the city and blew on his bison whistle, doubting that Appa would come. "I'm comin' for ya, buddy," he swore. He hoped that Appa had been okay, that nothing too bad had happened while they were separated.
"We'll find him, Aang," Sokka said, coming up from behind him.
"And Katara," Suki added, sharing a glance with Sokka. Aang couldn't help but smile a bit as he saw the two of them. He knew they had feelings for each other, and he was glad they had a chance to spend time together. It was good for Sokka to have someone to love, after what had happened with Yue. Hopefully, there would be no arranged marriages or insane Fire Nation admirals to get in the way this time.
As the monorail departed behind them, a woman came up to them. The woman had dark hair and was dressed in light green robes. She had a strange, stressed smile on her face that didn't look entirely natural to Aang. "Hello, my name is Joo Dee!" she said. "I have been given the great honor of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Suki, and Toph! Welcome to our wonderful city. Shall we get started?"
"Yes," Sokka said, taking charge. "We have information about the Fire Nation army that we need to deliver to the Earth King, immediately." And two friends to find.
"Great! Let's begin our tour. And then I'll show you to your new home here. I think you'll like it!" Aang blinked. Tour?!
Sokka was clearly annoyed. "Ugh!" He walked closer to Joo Dee. "Maybe you missed what I said. We need to talk to the king about the War, it's important."
But Joo Dee was unperturbed. "You're in Ba Sing Se now. Everyone is safe here." Aang shared a baffled look with his friends, everyone having their own mixed expression of irritation and confusion. Surely, Joo Dee realized that nobody would be safe if the Fire Nation won the war? Didn't she?
Suki stepped forward, a confused frown on her face. "This really is serious," she insisted. "We need to talk to the Earth King."
"I'll put in a request for an audience," Joo Dee said. "But I'm afraid it will have to be processed and granted before you can meet with him." Aang relaxed for a moment before tensing again. How long will that take? "Is there anything else I can help you with before we begin our tour?"
"Yeah," Aang said, crossing his arms. "Our friend, Sokka's sister, is supposed to be coming to Ba Sing Se. Do you know if she's here yet?"
"If you wait here for a few minutes, I will ask our officials to check the entry logs for your friend's arrival," she said. "Then, we can begin our tour." She walked off. Toph came up beside Aang, who looked to her.
"I have no interest in a tour," she told him. He nodded in agreement.
Nonetheless, they found themselves on a tour of Ba Sing Se.
"This is the Lower Ring," Joo Dee narrated. She had told them that it would take some time to find whether Katara had arrived yet.
Suki pulled a face as she looked out. "Why are there walls within the city?"
"Oh, Ba Sing Se has many walls!" Joo Dee dismissed in her same strange, excited voice. "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 craftsman and artisans, people that work with their hands. It's so quaint and lively!" They looked outside the carriage. There were a few men conversing, one of them holding a sword. They glared at the carriage as it went past them. "You do want to watch your step, though." It was perhaps the first time Joo Dee's tone had changed. She almost reminds me of how I was when I faced Koh, Aang thought. Except, instead of being unable to show any emotion, she can't show anything besides blind excitement and that unnatural smile.
Suki didn't appear to be any happier with the tour than Aang was. "So you have all the poor and the refugees stuck down here?" Her voice was indignant. She pointed her finger out of the window. "That guy was holding a sword out in broad daylight. Is the situation seriously bad enough here that people are turning to crime?" Joo Dee's wide smile flickered for a moment, but she said nothing.
"This is why I never came here before," Aang relayed to them. "I always heard it was so different from the way the monks taught us to live." And what he'd seen so far had done nothing to change his mind. If anything, it only reinforced his desire to find Appa and Katara, give their information to the Earth King, and get out. Besides, a big city wasn't the best place to practice earthbending anyways, and he had a deadline to master the elements. Sort of—the eclipse plan shook the schedule some. Was he still going to need to master firebending before facing Ozai?
Toph blew at her bangs, sitting grumpily. "This is just what cities are like," she told them. She waved her hand around at the window. "They all work like this, some are just more blatant than others."
Aang frowned, ignoring Joo Dee as she resumed her narration of their tour and as Sokka and Suki complained. He had been to many places, and few ever seemed this strict and stratified. But then, he had been an outsider to most of those places. He thought of Omashu, and of Bumi. Bumi would hate this, he thought. "One day," he said to Toph, turning to her and leaning closer. "I should take you to Omashu. I know it's another city and you don't like them, but I think you'd like it there more than here. Plus, I can introduce you to my old friend, Bumi."
Toph was quiet for a moment. "He was the crazy king you mentioned before, right?" Aang nodded. "And you said he was the greatest earthbender you knew." She raised an eyebrow.
"Heh." He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, he has had a hundred years more to practice than you, so…but you're still the best."
She punched his shoulder. "I know," she said. She smiled. "He sounds like my kind of guy. Someday, maybe it'd be cool to meet him."
Aang grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "And we can ride the mail system. Oh, and I can introduce you to Flopsy…" He began describing Omashu to her as the two of them drowned out the tour.
Jet leaned against the outside walls of the tea shop. He stood, eying people as they walked past the shop, utterly oblivious to the pair of infiltrators inside. He kept his ears open, trying to see if he could hear anything useful. The old man had accidentally revealed himself as a firebender with tea before, after all. Inside the shop, Mushi, Li, and Katara had all come to Pao's Tea Shop, apparently in response to the advertisement for help. Everything they said as Pao spoke to them about hours and wages sounded innocent enough. Katara said that she wasn't sure how long she would be working there—she didn't know how long she would be in Ba Sing Se. Jet had frowned as he heard that. What was she doing in Ba Sing Se to begin with? And with a pair of firebenders? He wondered where her brother and Aang were for as moment before he refocused on the real problem. Jet turned around as he dared to peek through the window.
"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers," said Pao. Katara and her firebender friends were wearing aprons over their robes, though Mushi's apron didn't appear to fit over his girth. "How do you feel ?"
"Ridiculous," Li snapped. Jet didn't need to see his face to know that he was scowling. Jet frowned as he saw Katara lightly elbow him.
"I think this'll do," she said. Li had turned to look at her and the two shared a look. What is with those two?
"Uh, does this possibly come in a larger size?" Mushi asked, surrendering his battle to tie his apron.
"I have extra string in the back," Pao told them. "Have some tea while you wait!" He poured two cups of tea for them, but Katara held a hand up, politely declining the offer.
"Would it be okay if I start tomorrow?" she asked Pao. "I have a few important errands to run, and they may take up this afternoon." Jet frowned. What was she going to do?
Pao nodded, waving to the side. "By all means, do your errands," he agreed. "Just be sure to come in tomorrow." Katara thanked Pao, who then walked into the back of the shop, outside Jet's line of sight. Mushi took a sip of the tea, but he quickly held the cup further away from himself.
"Blech! This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!" Mushi exclaimed. Katara and Li looked at him, Katara shaking her head.
"Uncle, that's what all tea is," Li told him. He was clearly unpleased with their situation. Eager to get back to killing people openly?
"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible?!" Mushi sounded almost offended. Katara laughed quietly, covering her mouth with her hand as she tried to hide it. Mushi remained focused on the tea. "We'll have to make some major changes around here."
"You'll have to start without me," Katara said as Mushi took the teapot and turned in the direction of Jet's window. Jet gasped quietly, quickly getting out of the window, though he couldn't bring himself to leave just yet. "I have to run those errands I mentioned. I'll be back at the apartment in a little while."
"Are you sure?" Li asked, sounding concerned. Jet scowled, once again wondering just what was going on with Katara and the teenage firebender. "I can go with you."
"No," Katara said. "You and Mushi go home. This should only take a little bit." Jet winced as he heard the door open, and he took a look around, hoping that she wouldn't come his way. A few moments passed, and Katara was nowhere to be seen; the teapot was emptied out the window. A few more moments passed, and Jet stood up, and walked away, hoping that nobody had noticed him.
He still had no convincing evidence. He would just have to continue observing them. Or, perhaps, he could try to talk to Katara. Just one last attempt.
Katara walked through the streets of Ba Sing Se, eyes open for any sign of trouble. Sign of Jet, mostly. It wasn't as though there was much else to worry about in Ba Sing Se, after all. Aside from a few odd muggers; there were a few alleyways that were more than a little suspect. But Katara could handle a mugger with a knife, and she knew Zuko and Uncle Iroh were more than capable as well. Jet was the only real threat within the city.
She took a deep breath, and then let it out, shaking her head slightly. For all that she teased Sokka for his pessimism and complaints about the universe, she had to admit that they had a ridiculous knack for attracting unexpected complications. Jet was one complication she could do without. She scowled as she turned onto another street. If Jet managed to somehow expose her friends in the heart of the Earth Kingdom capital, there would be nothing she could do to help them. Escaping would be their best hope, and that itself would be a longshot. She shivered slightly, looking up at the giant walls of Ba Sing Se. It occurred to her, for a moment, that walls worked both ways. They keep invaders out, but they also keep us in.
She blinked furiously, trying to shake the notion. There were no enemies in Ba Sing Se besides Jet. She didn't need to worry about the walls.
It hadn't taken too long to walk from Pao's tea shop to the customs office of the Lower Ring, but it had felt like a long time. The result of a preoccupied mind, she figured. She stepped into the office. It was a large building, with many smaller offices and registration desks. She walked up to a man in long green robes, with a conical hat covering his long braided black hair, and asked him who she should go to in order to request information about new arrivals. He pointed her to a smaller office, where she found that there was only a very small line, in contrast to most other desks.
She waited for a while. It must have been less than an hour, she thought, though she didn't particularly keep track of time. It still felt like a long time. She felt an odd chill, and she couldn't help but look around the halls repeatedly, searching for something amiss. It felt like something was wrong. Something was not as it should be. Someone was there when they shouldn't be. She blinked the first few times that the thought occurred to her. It was like the nights when the tribe would sit around the fire, sharing the scariest stories they could think of. And she was waiting for the shocking moment, the attack of a monster, the reveal that something was not as it should be. That someone in the room was not what they appeared to be. She gulped, taking another glance around the hall, hand going towards her water pouch.
It felt like she was being watched.
But Jet wasn't there. Nor was anyone else she had reason to worry about. Just the line of people, the cheery-looking woman at the desk, and the few men in green robes and hats. Katara blinked as one of the men caught her eye for a moment and then looked away from her. She let out a breath, shaking her head. This problem with Jet is messing with my head, she thought. I've spent too much time in the wild, waiting to get attacked. But, still, something felt not-quite-right.
Finally, it was her turn at the desk. Katara stepped up, offering a friendly smile to the woman at the desk. The woman's smile was almost unnervingly wide. "Hello," the woman said in a clearly rehearsed tone. "I am Joo Dee. What may I help you with?"
Katara bit down her discomfort. "Hello, I'm Katara. I was hoping I could ask about some recent arrivals in the city? I'm expecting my brother and my friend to be coming to Ba Sing Se soon, if they haven't already gotten here."
"Of course. Can I get your friends' names?"
"Aang," Katara started out with. "He's the Avatar. My brother's name is Sokka, son of Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe." That had to be plenty of information, right? Aang was the Avatar. They would know if the Avatar was in the city. And there couldn't be many Water Tribesmen coming into Ba Sing Se, either. Katara tried to be patient as Joo Dee looked through a few logbooks. Katara's smile slipped; Joo Dee's remained the same. That had to hurt after a while, didn't it? "They'd be coming with a girl named Toph, and a flying bison."
But Joo Dee shook her head. "I'm sorry. We've had no such people enter Ba Sing Se within the past three months."
"Oh," Katara said, deflating slightly. She blinked. I really thought they'd get here by the time I was here. Flying is faster than walking, after all. But then…maybe they got sidetracked. That happens a lot. Aang must've decided to take them on vacation or something along the way. It's exactly the sort of thing he'd do, she thought, recalling their early adventures at Kyoshi Island and Omashu. "I see. Well, thank you."
"If you like," Joo Dee offered, "I can mark you down to be notified when they arrive. I would only need your information and address."
Katara frowned. She stared at Joo Dee's unchanging face for a long moment, then glanced around. Was it her imagination, or were there more of those guys with the hats and green robes than there were earlier? She turned back to Joo Dee and forced a calm smile. "Thank you, but that won't be necessary." She'd just have to come back to check again in a few days. Aang and Sokka wouldn't be too long, she was sure. She turned around, walking out at what she hoped wasn't a suspicious speed. The men in robes were gone now, she noticed. Her heart beat quickly, and she shook her head, trying to figure out if she was only being paranoid.
From above, two men in green observed her leave.
It had been easy to track down where Mushi, Li, and Katara were staying. Jet remained far enough behind them so as not to attract their attention. Jet had snuck into the apartment through the window. He looked around, searching for any evidence, any piece of information which would prove that they were firebenders. To his disappointment, he found nothing of the sort. All there was in their apartment was tea, a change of clothes, and a few potted flowers. Nothing which would provide him any answers; nothing which would be enough to get them arrested.
Jet deflated slightly, unable to refrain from sulking a bit. Now what? Smellerbee and Longshot still didn't want to help him. Jet felt stressed as he thought of his friends. They thought he had lost his mind—but he hadn't! He knew what he had seen. He just had to prove it somehow. Glancing around the apartment again, his eyes settled on the teapot on the counter. The old man, Mushi, seemed really fond of tea. It had been what had exposed him to begin with. Maybe I can recreate the situation somehow. Jet frowned as he thought, then smirked as an idea came to him. He searched the cabinet and quickly found the spark rocks. He pocketed them, and then left the apartment as he had found it.
The balcony across the window would work perfectly for observing them, he figured. This time, he would have a perfect view of them firebending. Perhaps he could even convince his friends to come watch with him. But he couldn't wait for them to return for long. He knew their schedules, though; he knew when the firebenders would be returning home. With that, he walked the streets of the Lower Ring.
Maybe ten minutes had passed when he saw her. Katara. She was alone, exploring some of the shops along the way. Jet's eyes widened slightly, the spark rocks feeling a bit heavier than they had before. What do I do? He had so many questions, but would she be willing to speak to him. He grimaced; the last few times he had attempted to talk to her hadn't gone very well. He clenched his jaw. He would try to talk to her. He needed answers, and he was sure she had them.
He hung out for a few minutes in an alleyway on the side of the street. Finally, Katara began to walk by. He called out her name. Seconds passed and Katara didn't come to the alleyway. Jet began to wonder if she had chosen to ignore him. But a few moments later she came into view, walking into the alleyway, and furious glare on her face.
"Jet," she snapped. "What do you want? I know you've been following us since the ferry."
"You don't know?" he asked incredulously. He narrowed his eyes. "Do you have any idea who those guys you're with are?"
"They're the men who saved my life," she said coldly. "And I will not let you hurt them."
"They're firebenders, Katara! Don't you know that?!" He eyed her, trying to gauge her reaction. Did she know?
Her face showed no reaction. Disbelief? Or did she already know? "You're crazy, Jet," she spat. "And you have no idea what you're talking about."
"Did you already know?" he asked, an eyebrow shooting up. "Katara, how can you let a pair of firebenders into Ba Sing Se?"
"There are no firebenders in Ba Sing Se," she said, but Jet thought her eyes darted to the side. Worried someone will overhear?
"How can you lie to me like this?!" Jet asked. "Just to protect your firebender boyfriend! I know what I saw! And you're just calling me crazy—you know me! You can't do this, you owe me the truth!" It was entirely the wrong thing to say.
The next thing Jet knew, Katara was right in front of him, and her palm had hit him across the face. He was still processing it as she shouted in face. "I know you?! I knew you for like two days, Jet! And in that time, you lied to me, you used me in an attempt to murder an entire village! I don't owe you anything, much less my help in hurting the people I care about!"
Jet looked up at her, stepping back slightly as he took in her snarled words. Her eyes were like fire as she glared into him, her words likes arrows into his armor. "Katara—" he tried one last time.
"No, Jet. No more of this. I will not help you, I will not tell you anything. And don't you dare keep following my friends and I around." She stepped closer, leaning forward. "The next time I see you, it will be the last time. Understand?" Jet could only nod mutely. Katara glared for a moment longer, then she turned and left the alleyway. Jet let out a breath.
Getting slapped by Katara, he figured with a grimace, must be a step down from being frozen.
Suki stared miserably outside the carriage. The boredom and frustration were only growing within the group as they were taken from one place to another during Joo Dee's tour. She shared another exasperated look with Sokka, who was growing more annoyed by the minute, as they entered another ring of the city. She frowned, thinking of Kyoshi Village; it was nothing like Ba Sing Se. Although Suki was happy to see more of the world, Ba Sing Se was quickly becoming her least favorite place in the Earth Kingdom.
Joo Dee's strange, oblivious narration was not helping.
"The Upper Ring is home to our most important citizens," Joo Dee narrated. "Your house is not too far from here!" At least they had their living situation handled. Though, Suki found she wasn't too thrilled at the prospect of spending more time within the city. At least the refugees are safe, she reminded herself. It may have been the only good thing about Ba Sing Se. There has to be something else. Maybe Sokka and I can find something to do while we're here.
"What's inside that wall?" Aang asked, pointing out the window, to yet another great wall. It looked more ornate than the other ones within the city.
"It must be the Upper-Upper Ring," Sokka said. "And I'm sure we'll be wasting more time touring it, when we should be seeing the king with the vitally important information we have!" He glared at Joo Dee, who showed no reaction to Sokka's words or tone. Suki was beginning to wonder if the woman had injected puffer-eel venom into her face. She'd heard of people's faces getting stuck after doing that. How else could this woman's face stay exactly the same for so long?
"Inside is the Royal Palace," Joo Dee told them. "And I'm afraid that tours are not allowed for security reasons." The king would be in there, Suki understood, narrowing her eyes slightly. If they won't take us to the Earth King, we may have to take ourselves there. What weaknesses are there in this wall? But something else caught her eye.
"Who are the men in the green robes?" she asked. They looked like some sort of security force, though Suki saw no weapons on them. Earthbenders then, probably. Something about them seemed vaguely familiar.
"Those men are agents of the Dai Li, the cultural authority of Ba Sing Se. They are the guardians of all our traditions!" Suki couldn't help but raise her eyebrows as she looked at Joo Dee, her face unimpressed. Cultural authority? Guardians of traditions? She looked back out the window, feeling less comfortable than she had the minute before. Who are those guys, really?
"Can we see the king now?" Aang asked, his voice beginning to allow his annoyance into the open.
"Oh no," Joo Dee dismissed. "One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King!" Watch me, Suki thought as she crossed her arms. Aang deflated, giving a bored nod of his head. They soon reached the homes of the Upper Ring. Before long, the carriage was stopping. "Here we are—your new home!" They all got out of the carriage. Suki gave an unimpressed look at the house. It was rather large and fancy, at least by her taste. But then, perhaps that was only in comparison to her real home. She missed the warm, friendly simplicity of Kyoshi Village. It was so open compared to Ba Sing Se, and less ornate. The ornateness of Upper Ba Sing Se almost felt like a distraction from the strangeness of the city.
Before they could even enter the house, a messenger came up to Joo Dee, giving her a scroll and whispering in her ear before running off again. "More good news! Your request for an audience with the Earth King is being processed, and should be put through in about month. Much more quickly than usual!"
"A month?" Sokka exclaimed.
"Six to eight weeks, actually." Joo Dee closed her eyes as her smile somehow grew.
Suki clenched her jaw as she stood beside Sokka, shaking her head. "So, more like two months?"
"As I said, much quicker than typical requests," Joo Dee said in a soothing tone. She sounded almost conciliatory as she turned back to Sokka. "Your inquiry about your sister has also been looked into. I'm afraid there is no record of your sister in the entry logs. She has not yet arrived in Ba Sing Se. But there is no need to worry about that—I will be sure to notify you when she has arrived." With that, she strode past them to the house, eagerly asking them to follow. Suki looked to Sokka, seeing his forehead creased with worry. She took his hand, smiling as he looked to her.
"I'm sure Katara is fine," she told him, squeezing his hand lightly. "I know you're worried about her. But from what I remember, she's strong, and she has a good head on her. And she found a waterbending master at the North Pole, right? So she has to be able to defend herself better now."
Sokka nodded. "You're right. And you have no idea how quickly she picked up waterbending—I sat in on one of her lessons. She beat every one of her classmates." He smiled.
Suki nodded vigorously. "See? You don't need to worry. It's probably just taking her a while because she's travelling by land. And she's with friends, right? So it's not like she's alone out there."
Contrary to Suki's expectation, Sokka's smile fell slightly, becoming forced as he winced. "Right…with friends." Suki frowned. Sokka relaxed as he saw her face. "Katara's probably fine. For all I know, she's enjoying not having to clean and sew my clothes all the time." He pulled her into the house.
Still, Suki couldn't help but wonder why Sokka had reacted in such a strange way.
Jet hid behind a clothesline, on the balcony across from Mushi, Li, and Katara's apartment. As he had thought earlier, the window gave him a perfect view in—he could even hear them well from this vantage point. In his hands, he held the spark rocks he had stolen from them. Mushi and Li were home; knowing what he did of the old firebender, he would probably want to make them tea before they went to sleep. Katara still wasn't home, Jet noticed. He couldn't help but be relieved. It had been strange, being outright threatened by her. But she seemed to mean it, as far as he could tell. And she had clearly had more waterbending practice since he had seen her by Gaipan. How the firebenders figured into that was anyone's guess.
"Would you like a pot of tea?" he heard Mushi ask.
"We've been working in a tea shop all day!" he heard Li complain. "I'm sick of tea!"
""Sick of tea?" That's like being sick of breathing!" It was almost hard to believe that this tea-obsessed old man was actually a firebending infiltrator. Jet observed him rummaging through the cupboard. "Have you seen the spark rocks to heat up the water?"
"They're not there," Jet whispered, anticipation building. He opened his fist to reveal the spark rocks. "You'll have to firebend, old man." But Jet didn't see Mushi do any firebending. Instead, the old man exited his apartment. Jet narrowed his eyes. "Where're you going?"
A few moments later, Mushi returned to his apartment, new spark rocks in his hand. "I borrowed our neighbors'. Such kind people." Jet deflated. Clever, he thought. They must know I'm onto them. He scowled, and then he left, eyes peeled for any sign of Katara.
Katara let out a sigh as she entered the apartment, carrying a tall, decorated panel. It was disappointing to know that Aang and Sokka hadn't gotten to Ba Sing Se yet. And it was infuriating for Jet to talk to her as though she owed him the truth. She hoped he would listen and leave them alone—but she doubted it. It was Jet, after all. But it was a relief to be back to the apartment, with Iroh and Zuko. She could stop thinking of new things to worry about. The two of them looked to her when she entered. Iroh smiled, offering her a friendly wave. Zuko was laying down, an exhausted, irritated look on his face. He sat up as he saw her come in.
"Would you like some tea?" Iroh offered.
"I could use some," she said, nodding her head. She placed the panel in front of the window, unfolding it slightly. She saw Iroh raising a disappointed eyebrow.
"The shop keeper said it's good for keeping nosy neighbors at bay," she said with only a little irritation in her voice. Nosy neighbor is way too kind a description for Jet. She went to sit near Zuko as Iroh heated the pot. At least he appeared to be using normal fire this time. The three of them sat in silence for a minute.
"Are you…okay?" Zuko asked her. She turned to look at him. His brow was furrowed slightly.
"I'm fine," she told him. "Why?"
He frowned. "It just seems like there's something on your mind. And you were gone for a while. Is there something wrong?"
She paused. She could hardly name the reason for her newfound paranoia within the walls of Ba Sing Se. Something about the city had given her the creeps, especially in the halls of the customs office. But what reason did she have to worry? A few men in robes? A woman with a weird smile? There was Jet, but Zuko already knew about that. "It's nothing," she told him. Zuko scowled. "What about you? You seem upset about something."
Zuko stood up. "It's nothing," he told her, going into another room.
Katara stared after him for a moment, her face falling slightly. She sat alone with Iroh for a few minutes as he prepared the tea. "I hope your first day at work went well."
"Oh, it was excellent," Iroh said, a smile forming. "Granted, I've had to make some changes to how the tea is made. But Pao allowed me to make the changes, and they have come along smoothly. The guests at the tea shop have been kind and have enjoyed the tea." Katara smiled. It was clear that Iroh actually enjoyed working in the tea shop. One wouldn't think that a member of a royal family would be content to hide out and spend their lives working in a tea shop, but Iroh seemed excited at the prospect.
She doubted Zuko was so happy about it.
"I'm glad you're enjoying working there. And I'm sorry I missed our first day," she said.
Iroh shrugged before he began pouring the tea into cups. "Pao was quite understanding," he said. "I hope your day was pleasant. Were you able to do what you needed?"
Katara sighed as he handed her two cups of tea, sitting down with his own in front of her. "Sort of. I was hoping to find…something. But I'll just have to wait a little longer." Best not to talk about Aang, she thought. Not unless or until Zuko is ready.
Iroh frowned momentarily. "Hm. Well, I'm glad to have you with us for now. I'm sure Zuko is as well, even if he doesn't appear to be in an appreciative mood today." He glanced at the door.
Katara stood up, holding both cups of tea. "I'll talk to him," she said. "Thanks for the tea." She entered Zuko's room. He looked up from where he was sitting, eying her as she sat near him, offering him the untouched cup of tea.
"I told Uncle I don't want any tea," he said, but he accepted the cup. He looked at her again before sighing.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I was doing earlier," Katara said. "It just not something I want to share with you just yet." She paused. "I'll probably tell you at some point, just not right now, okay? Just know that it's not something you need to worry about." She couldn't tell him about Aang coming to Ba Sing Se yet.
Zuko looked at her for a long moment before he nodded. "I understand," he said. He took a sip of the tea. He spoke quieter. "Jet's been following us all day. I don't know if he's waiting to attack us or just to find proof of who we are." He shook his head. "I don't like this waiting."
"I know the feeling," she said, looking down. She let out a breath. "I saw him earlier today, too. He confronted me about you."
"What?" Zuko's voice rose a pitch as he shot a quick look to Katara. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she assured him, lips twitching slightly at his concern. "And I wouldn't tell him anything. Except that if I ever see him again, then it would be the last time."
Zuko's eyes widened a little. Then he smiled slightly. "He'd better listen, or he'll find out how dangerous you really can be. He'd regret it then."
"Like nothing he'd ever regretted before," she agreed, smirking slightly. The two chuckled slightly. Katara's mouth formed a grin as she looked at Zuko. It was nice, sitting near him, seeing him relax a bit. Katara felt that fluttering in her stomach, the same one she had felt earlier in the day, as they had walked home from the flower shop. Katara still wasn't sure what to call the feeling. "I know you're uncomfortable with this entire situation, but I hope you can be happy. And, aside from Jet, you're safe here."
Zuko frowned a bit. "This is different from anything I've ever known," he told her. He glanced at the walls of their apartment. "It's been a long time since I've been home. Since I lived like a prince. But this…it's so crowded." His voice displayed incredulity and distaste. "Everything is so small." He waved his hand around the room. "And nobody knows who I really am." He hung his head slightly.
"It's a pretty big change," she agreed. She looked down. It had to be hard, she figured, hiding your identity so thoroughly. "You know, I grew up at the South Pole, with my tribe. Things were small there, and everyone had to put in a lot of work just to survive."
Zuko blinked. "Right. I remember, I saw your village…you know, when I attacked it." Katara raised an eyebrow. Zuko scratched the back of his head a bit. "Uh, sorry about that. Anyways, I remember how small it was." He frowned a bit. "The North Pole was entirely different."
"Because they still have their waterbenders," Katara said. "In the arctic, we're pretty dependent on waterbenders to build and maintain our cities and livelihoods. But I'm the last waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe."
Zuko looked her up and down for a moment before turning away. "Do you know what happened to the other waterbenders?"
She looked over, shaking her head. "All we ever knew was that the Fire Nation came and took them away. We've never known what happened to them afterwards. Just that they were never seen again." She paused for a long moment. "Do you know what happened to them?"
Zuko shrugged. "I want to say they were imprisoned. But the specifics were only known by a select few. I'm sorry." He looked uncomfortable. Katara wondered if he was unnerved by the implications of what his nation had done, or just by his inability to provide her an answer. She couldn't help but hope that it meant something.
She let out a breath, shaking her head. "I appreciate it." She locked eyes with Zuko for a moment. She looked away, feeling suddenly conscious of how close she had sat next to him. "Someday we'll know."
"Right…"Zuko looked away, looking awkward. He took a sip of tea, frowning slightly as his eyes met Katara's again. He focused back to his tea cup.
The two of them sat alone, drinking tea, and attempting idle conversation. Katara smiled. Whatever happened next, she was sure they could handle it together.
In her own room sat the purple flower Zuko had bought.
So I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It's kinda slow, maybe. But the Zutara, as you can probably see, is beginning to heat up a bit. This chapter, with the next, was originally supposed to be one chapter. We'll see if I decide to merge them when I get to revisions.
That said, this chapter was very slow-coming to me. That may be in part because of the larger portion of original content. But I've got to admit that my brain is also being eaten by plot bunnies. That is, I keep getting distracted by other stories that I'm thinking of. And I really do apologize for that; it's part of the reason I tend to write so slowly. At this point, I keep thinking mostly of other A:TLA fics I want to write. And right now that's actually quite a bit. I really do want to finish this before I start any other projects, small or large. But this is a long fic, and it'll be while before it's done. So I guess I'm a bit conflicted, and it's been distracting me over the past week.
As I've said before, I sometimes go a long time without updating a fanfic. But I fully intend to finish this, so if I drop off the map with updating this at some point, just know that it's only temporary.
In regard to the plot bunnies, the things distracting me are these:
1. Zutara Week. I've never participated before. I thought it was earlier in the year, and then I realized it started later this month just a few days ago. Since then, I've been trying to decide if I want to try participating. I have nothing planned, and I am not so great at working off of prompts. Or short works, for that matter. Still, I'm kinda tempted to join in.
2. A Ty Lee fanfic that I've been wanting to write for actual years. I try to push it aside in favor of Merging Pathways, but the first few chapters are very clear and loud in my brain. It's basically an AU in which Ty Lee is an airbender and, upon meeting the GAang in Omashu, decides to join them in the name of learning from the only person able to train her.
3. Yet another fanfic which popped into my brain more recently, in which a change in Zuko and Azula's backstory leads them both to join the GAang during season 1. That one would probably also end up being Zutara.
Honestly, I'm sorry if I'm annoying you with these other fanfic ideas. And I hope I don't disappoint you guys with either a long hiatus on this fic or with subpar chapters. Point is, I hope you guys enjoy this, despite the fact that it was a more difficult chapter for me. And I hope to have the next chapter out by next weekend. If any of you guys have any insight regarding my distractions, feel free to weigh in. Nothing is decided thus far, either in regard to Zutara week or the other two AU fics.