Chapter 94: A New Zoo

Aang soared over Ba Sing Se on his glider. He stared down and all he could see were walls and barriers. Divisions between people; divisions that should have never been there. The Dai Li. They had Appa; Zuko thought they were keeping him to try and use against Aang.

The Avatar sighed. It was just so… different. The monks had always told him that to wield Earth was straightforward; you had to be blunt with it and direct, the opposite of Air. He'd found such a person in Toph; she was the epitome of direct. But the people here… They were wrapped up in secrets and lies. It made his head ache.

Something caught Aang's eye down below and he began to descend, landing softly in a street lined with cages.

They were filled with animals, each one looking sad and despondent. Aang could relate.

He saw an elephant mandrill lying on the ground, staring at nothing. One cage held a tigerdillo that was aggressively gnawing at the bars, trying to get free.

Aang kneels in front of it, hand held out. "Hey, buddy, you look hungry."

The tigerdillo roared, sending the Avatar scurrying back in surprise.

A voice behind him said, "They are hungry."

Aang turned and saw an elderly man, leaning on a broom. Aang said, "I'm Aang. Why are they hungry?"

The man nodded. "Kenji. The Dai Li stopped giving me money to feed them because the kids stopped coming. You're the first to come in more than a week."

"Why did they stop coming?"

Kenji sighed. "They won't come because my zoo is nasty and broke. Mainly because the Dai Li kept cutting my funds, and now they've stopped entirely."

Aang shook his head. "That's… wrong. There are animals here that need to be looked after, fed."

Kenji just nodded.


Zuko sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Tell me this idea again."

Sokka said, "It's simple. If the Dai Li has Appa, then we need to know as much as possible about the Dai Li, right? Know your enemy and all that."

Zuko nodded. "Right."

"So, where better to learn about something than a university? It's the whole point of it."

Zuko nodded reluctantly. "You have a point. Still, it's not like they're going to keep up-to-date info on the Dai Li here. We'd be better off picking up an agent and bleeding them for information."

Sokka paused. "When you say 'bleed them for information', do you mean literally or metaphorically?"

Zuko shrugged. "Whichever works best."

Sokka shook his head and kept walking. "There are times when you are just terrifying, you know."

Zuko said nothing.


Aang pointed towards a cage. "What kind of animal is that?"

"Oh, that's a rabaroo." Kenji said, following the direction of Aang's finger. "I wish I could get her a big open prairie like she likes. I'd let her hop away to happiness."

An idea had been forming in Aang's mind, gathering slowly like moisture collecting to create a cloud.

He smiled and said, "Let's do it."


They'd found their way to Sokka's happy place, Ba Sing Se University Library.

An impressive establishment, though it paled in comparison to Wan Shi Tong's Spirit Library; though what it lacked in volumes, it made up for in the fact that there wasn't a rampaging Knowledge Spirit.

At Zuko's suggestion, they'd avoided the main help desk and elected to wander the stacks, searching for information on the Dai Li.

Sokka scratched his chin, eying a sign. "What do you think? History or Current Affairs?"

Zuko thought a moment and then said, "History. No way they'd let anything current be known."

Sokka nodded. "Good point."

He followed the sign's directions, towards the history section, with Zuko following.

Neither noticed the shifty-eyes of the librarian following them.


"Say again?" The Zookeeper said, eying the child Avatar.

Aang explained, "There's a big open space right outside the city walls. It'd be perfect for all of your animals!"

Kenji scratched his head. "But how would we transport all of these wild critters?"

Aang smiled widely. "Don't worry, I'm great with animals."


"You find anything yet?" Sokka asked, glaring down at an old scroll that was barely making any sense. He rolled it back up and stuffed it back on the shelf.

Zuko shook his head, sighing. "Nothing. At least, nothing we don't already know. Founded by Avatar Kyoshi. Protectors of the city's cultural heritage. Servants of the Earth King."

Sokka sighed as well and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We should—this was a waste of time. We should head back."

Zuko nodded and placed his own scroll back on the shelf.

A voice behind them said, "State your business here."

They turned and saw a pair of Dai Li agents glaring at them. Instinctively, Zuko glared back. His hand strayed to the hilts of his swords.

The Dai Li agents' eyes narrowed at the motion.

Sokka said with forced levity, "We were just looking for some reading material. A little light reading, you know."

Zuko grunted, "Yeah. Light reading."

One of the agents said, "You are not students here. Leave. Now."

"We were just going." Sokka said.

The other agent said, "We'll escort you back. It wouldn't do for anything to happen to either one of you."

"That's not necessary." Zuko said, still staring into the agent's eyes. "We can find our own way. We wouldn't want to trouble you."

His voice was flat as he spoke. Sokka picked up where left off. "Yeah, he's right. It's barely the afternoon; what could possibly happen in broad daylight?"

"You'd be surprised." An agent remarked.

Zuko muttered to Sokka, "Come on, let's go."

The two boys turned and headed towards the library's exit.

The Dai Li agents watched them go.


Chaos flooded the streets of Ba Sing Se.

Hog monkeys, elephant mandrill, dragon flies, platypus bears, tigerdillos, and a whole horde of rabaroo. They rampaged down the street, destroying store fronts, breaking merchandise, and terrorising the innocent bystanders unfortunate enough to be out and about.

One such unfortunate bystander was a surprisingly knowledgeable and well-connected merchant of cabbage. His wails could be easily heard over the din. "MY CABBAGES!"

Aang moved through the swarm of wild animals, trying to corral them with his Airbending.

"This was so much easier in my head!" he exclaimed.

An idea enters the Avatar's head. He grins and removes his bison whistle.

"Here goes nothing." He said, and he channelled his Airbending through the whistle.

As one the animals stopped. They turned to face Aang. They charged.

"MONKEYFEATHERS!"

The Avatar took off running, and the animals pursued.


"You have to open this gate." Kenji insisted, pleading with the Gate Guard.

"Or what?" The guard said, looming over the zookeeper.

The sound of thunder filled the air. Kenji turned and saw an orange blur heading straight towards them, a large dust cloud close behind.

He pointed. "Or that!"

The guard's eyes widened comically wide. He screamed upwards, "OPEN THE GATE! NOW!"


Zuko and Sokka walked through the surprisingly empty and ransacked streets. Here and there, merchants emerged with brooms in hand, eying the mess with anger and distaste.

Sokka stared around. "What happened here?"

Zuko shrugged. His good eye darted upwards to the rooftops, as well as to the many shadowy alleyways.

He said under his breath. "Don't react. We're being followed."

Sokka immediately turned to stare openly over his shoulder.

Zuko just sighed and grabbed his friend's shoulder, keeping him walking.

"Act normal." He said quietly. "Don't let on that you know."

Sokka muttered back, "Those Dai Li guys?"

Zuko nodded. "It'd make the most sense."

"What do we do?"

Zuko shrugged. "Nothing. We go back to the house. Tell the others."

Sokka nodded slowly. "Okay. Yeah."

They were quiet for a while as they walked. Then Sokka said, "Please tell me this is creeping you out."

Zuko nodded. "Yes, it is."

Sokka sighed. "Glad we're on the same page."

They kept walking.

The shadows followed behind them.


"Well, Mr Zookeeper," Aang said. "How do you like your new facilities?"

Kenji stared around in open-mouthed amazement. Eventually he said, "Excellent job, Avatar. You should think about working with animals for a living. You know, if saving the world doesn't work out for you."

Before Aang can respond, there are voices talking behind them.

"Mommy, Miss Snowflake got out of the house again."

Aang turned and saw a little girl pointing into one of the enclosure. Sure enough, a cat lounged inside.

Similar statements were made by other members of the gathering crowd. Clearly the Avatar had also corralled the local pet-scene into the new zoo.

Kenji said, "Second thought, maybe just stick to the saving people thing."

Aang couldn't help but laugh.


In the backroom of the Jasmine Dragon, a bedraggled Cabbage Merchant shakily held a cup of tea to his face, breathing in the soothing vapours before taking a sip.

He sighed in relief. "It was anarchy, Iroh, anarchy. Animals everywhere, big ones! My poor cabbages."

Iroh couldn't quite keep the smile off of his lips. He said, "Mohn, we have discussed your… commitment to your character in the past."

Mohn glared at the Grand Lotus, though there wasn't much heat to it. He sniffed. "It was a waste of perfectly good vegetation, that's all."

Iroh chuckled. "The Avatar is doing what he does best; he's trying to bring a little joy to people's lives. That's all."

Mohn snorted. "The Dai Li won't like it."

Iroh sighed and shook his head. "No, they won't. The winds of change are coming, however; I can feel their approach."

Mohn asked, "You're secure here, though?"

Iroh nodded. "For now."

"And the Chapter?"

Iroh sighed again. "Nothing. I fear Gya is lost to us, along with the rest of her Chapter. Pao is all that remains in Ba Sing Se."

Mohn offered, "I could stay? Try to help him rebuild when you leave."

Iroh shook his head. "Your duties take priority, my friend, but I thank you for the offer. There will be time to rebuild later, for now we must focus on the Avatar's Journey."

"You've made contact."

The former General nodded. "I have, though it wasn't my intention."

Mohn eyed the Grand Lotus. "What do you mean?"

Iroh answered cryptically. "What was thought lost has been recovered."

Mohn continued to eye him. He remarked, "While the Order has always nurtured the cryptic arts, I feel you take them up far too readily."

Iroh laughed. "Perhaps you are right."

The Cabbage Merchant said, "The boy asked you to train him?"

Iroh nodded. "He did. I declined. He isn't ready for Fire."

Mohn sighed. "The Deserter was right."

Iroh tilted his hand from side to side. "In part, yes. The Avatar is getting closer, day-by-day, to mastering the elements. In time, he will be ready for Fire. All things have their time."

Mohn nodded and took a drink of his tea. His hands had finally stopped trembling.

He said, "I'll be leaving again in a day or two."

Iroh nodded. "Check in at the Air Temple, would you? I feel the Guru will soon be gaining a student. I would like him to be thoroughly prepared."

The Cabbage Merchant laughed. "I've never known Pathik be surprised by anything. Chances are, he has already arranged the Avatar's arrival himself."

Iroh laughed as well. "Perhaps you are right. Either way, I'm sure he will appreciate your company. And perhaps, a cabbage or two."

Mohn nodded and stood. "Just as long as he doesn't make me try that banana-and-onion concoction again. Ugh!"

Iroh smiled. "It is an acquired taste, certainly. I prefer tea, myself."

Mohn took the hint and drained his cup. He bowed to the Grand Lotus. Iroh stood and returned the bow.

"Till we meet again, Grand Lotus."

Iroh let the title go and replied, "Till we meet again, my friend."

The Cabbage Merchant left the teashop.