Chapter 36

Secrets and Lies

The train was fascinating. Watching earth benders propel a few hundred pound train along with its passengers was amazing, especially since there were only two of them. My eyes flicked everywhere, taking in the full expanse of the fields around Ba Sing Se. The first layer was mainly fields and farms, enough to feed the entire city. The size of Ba Sing Se was terrifying, it was larger then some countries back in my old world. Despite how incredible and awe-inspiring it was I didn't feel comfortable. Like when I traveled to the city with my family, it was fun, interesting even but it was not somewhere you wanted to stay long. It wasn't safe, it wasn't comforting, it wasn't home. The only difference was that Ba Sing Se had a puppet for a king, a small army of earth benders who would follow any order without question, and brainwashed women who were working as tour guides. I was not going to be relaxing much while I was here.

Aang was flying Appa to a large barn that the 'government' had provided. That in itself made me sick to my stomach and I had whispered several warnings to Appa before he and Aang left. I felt silly doing it but Appa seemed to understand human speech better then some people at times. I just hoped that he truly did understand my warnings because I didn't trust the Dai Li. Appa hadn't been the only one I warned last night, Aang to had been told if any suspicious characters were around Appa's barn, especially if they were in green and black armour, to get Appa out of there and let him find himself his own home. I wasn't going to let one of my friends get hurt if I could avoid it, even Appa or Momo. Which brought me to a darker thought. End of season.

End of season two involved Aang getting killed by Azula, only surviving because of Katara's spirit water. I wanted to stop it but the truth was I didn't know how. How was I supposed to stop Azula from entering Ba Sing Se, pretend to be Suki, and then imprisoning her brother and Katara. I didn't see any way unless I tried to distract her from Aang. The problem was that when he was in the avatar state I could jump on one foot and cluck like a chicken and no one would notice me. I just wasn't important enough. Besides what was I going to do? Risk my life again, possibly even die to save someone? I had done it with Yue but everyone had been furious and worried. I would do it again but it would be impossible to jump in between Azula and Aang at that moment. Besides Aang's death actually had some advantages. I dragged my thoughts out of the dark path I had been on. Who was I to choose who would live and die, even temporarily? This was Aang, a good friend and a little brother to me. I would do everything I could to help him, just as much effort as I had with Yue and Appa. Both times it had worked out it would work out again, I knew it.

I didn't pay much attention to my friends conversation, my thoughts wandering in their own direction. I did notice the looks we were getting, though, especially Sokka and I. With our variety of weapons and my scars (although Sokka had a few of his own as well) we were to conspicuous. I shot a look at one man who had been pointing at us for a girl. They had probably been talking about us. Distaste curdled my stomach.

As soon as the train stopped we scrambled out. My eyes were instantly drawn to two figures standing in the crowd. The first was a earth kingdom woman in her early to mid twenties and the second was Aang who was looking particularly upset. As we approached and the station emptied we were able to hear what they were saying.

"I assure you avatar that the Dai Li were just there to make sure that your bison was safe. Unfortunately even Ba Sing Se has thieves that was the only reason."

"I saw that 'barn', Appa would never have been happy there anyways. Besides I don't care what you say those Dai Li people looked suspicious and I wasn't going to leave Appa in their care. I wouldn't leave a rock under their care." Joo Dee's ever present smile twitched but stayed fixed. Noticing us she turned.

"Hello, my name is Joo Dee. I have been given the great honor of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, Maddison, and Toph. Welcome to our wonderful city. Shall we get started?" I twitched. Except for my name Joo Dee's speech was identical to the one I knew from the show. I notice Aang too looked deeply disturbed by her words. Had she used the same speech on him just minutes before? Sokka didn't notice the strange looks but plowed on straight ahead.

"Yes, we have to see the earth king. We have urgent information regarding the fire nation."

"Great, let's begin our tour." Sokka's mouth dropped in outrage as Joo Dee completely ignored him, "And then I'll show you to your new home here. I think you'll like it." Sokka stared as she walked away and down the steps of the station. After a moment he fell into line beside me.

"Please tell me that she is deaf and didn't hear me." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"I wish I could tell you that."

Down the marble steps a carriage awaited. It was a little squished trying to fit six people into the carriage. Joo Dee sat with her back to the driver. Aang and I both insisted on sitting across from her, our mistrust for the woman palatable. Toph sat between us, leaving Sokka and Katara to work out their seating beside Joo Dee. Eventually Joo Dee got the window seat while an unhappy Sokka ended up sitting beside her. The carriage rattled into motion but conversation did not go with it. Eventually Joo Dee began to speak, pointing out the names of the walls we passed and of course the name of the train station we had come from. I ignored her until we rattled into the lower ring.

"And this is the lower ring." Katara frowned, noticing more walls still ahead.

"So what's this wall for."

"Separating the 'poor and quaint' from dirtying the 'better parts' of the city" I practically snarled in reply, if I had been born here in Ba Sing Se, my family would have been forced to live here among the 'untouchables'. It disgusted me. People were people no matter what the social standing. Joo Dee twitched and hurriedly asked the carriage driver to continue.

Joo Dee continued her tour but she was jumpy. My snarky comments and Sokka's insistence to talk to the earth king coupled with her argument over the Dai Li with Aang was slowly breaking her. I would have felt more pity for the woman if her family had been help hostage or something but as it was she could not control what she said or how she acted so I could not spare my pity. My friends were my top priority at all times.

We came to a stop outside a beautiful house decorated in the usual earth kingdom colours. I noticed with interest there was a good sized backyard with what looked to be a flying bison tail peeking out from behind the house.

"Here we are." Joo Dee stated. Her voice projected. I sniggered when the tail vanished behind the house, "Your new home."

A dark-haired messenger passed Joo Dee a scroll before sprinting off again.

"More good news, your request for an audience with the Earth King is being processed, and should be put through in about a month. Much more quickly than usual." I watched the reaction of my companions with interest. Toph looked bored and she was probably the only one in the group that expected such a long wait. Katara and Aang had similar expressions of shock while Sokka was spluttering like a fish out of water.

"A month!" Sokka finally blurted, eyes bulging.

"Six to eight weeks, actually." Joo Dee replied with that infuriating smile.


The first day was pretty uneventful after that, we unloaded our stuff into the upstairs of the house which had a separate room for each of us with one left over. I was really surprised that a house this small could not only have a six bedrooms but two bathrooms as well. Although under all technicality it was a closet that acted like a port-a-potty (which all bathrooms in houses were like apparently after a conversation with Katara) and the other was a washroom with a mirror, sink and metal bathtub that was kept heated by a fireplace so the water wouldn't go cold. I planned to make use of this miracle as soon as evening came. While the boys and Toph checked out the rest of the house and backyard I found myself with Katara checking out the kitchen. There was an oven, made very differently then I was used to, but Katara seemed quite pleased with it. There were plenty of cupboards full of dishes and much to the delight of Katara and I, raw materials to cook with. Flower, spices, a jar of white powder which Katara told me was used for rising bakery products (baking soda or powder I assumed), sugar, and many other dry materials.

"Come on Pala, I want to check out the ice room." I lifted my head out of a small pot of raw vanilla bean where I had been savouring the aroma to blink at my younger companion.

"Ice room?"

The ice room in question was a underground pantry which, as the name suggested, was full of ice blocks but the temperature was only a little colder then the average freezer, either that or despite my reluctance I had adjusted to pole temperatures. Inside the room which was twice the size of my bedroom there was a large roll of cheese covered in wax to protect it, several glass bottles of a white liquid which I assumed to be milk beside which there was a rack of eggs. The lettuce and greens were at the front, right by the stairs where it was the warmest while the meats were hidden deep in the back between three walls of ice. Katara moved around, inspecting the ice to check for any signs of melting. While she focused on that inspiration struck. Lighting up like the fourth of july I grabbed a bottle of milk, a handful of eggs, and headed upstairs.

Once I was in the kitchen I gathered all the supplies I needed. The baking soda, flower, sugar... I paused for a moment before grabbing the salt as well. I wondered briefly if there was a milk churn somewhere in here or if I had completely missed the butter. A few seconds later Katara walked in, looking at me in confusion while I ran around mad looking for a big spoon.

"What are you doing?" She asked, noticing the ridiculous amount of flower I had managed to get myself covered in.

"Making a recipe from my world!" I replied in excitement, "but I'm missing butter and buttermilk, is there any down there?" Katara smiled.

"I don't know, I'll go look again. We don't get a lot of butter at the pole, it goes to fast." I nodded and went back to figuring out measurements without the use of the tools I was used to. A few moments Katara returned with a bowl of a soft cream coloured butter and a bottle of thick liquid of a similar colour. I grinned, thanked her then asked if she could take care of the stove for me. As I stirred the batter I smiled to myself. Back at home I had used an electric mixer but here I could stir the batter without my arm getting tired.

An hour and a stack of misshapen pancakes later we called the others for lunch. The pancakes had been covered with berries and a thick cold cream. Sokka dug into his stack with gusto, while Aang politely compared it to a desert he had tried long ago. Katara was equally polite but Toph, ever the blunt one choose to speak her mind.

"Don't get me wrong, it's nice enough, just… not my idea of good food."

"That's fine, it was something to try, you didn't have to like it." I replied with a shrug.


After lunch we sat at the table talking. Because Appa was okay we didn't have to go looking for him but we weren't willing to just sit around.

"Well, if we have to wait that long to get the earth king's approval we might as well see if we have support from the general populace." I finally stated. Sokka nodded thoughtfully.

"She's got a point,"

"So your suggesting we walk up to a few random strangers and ask them what their opinion on the war is and if they'll do anything? That's a little… dangerous don't you think?" Katara frowned deeply. She was clearly troubled.

"I don't know, we don't want to cause to much trouble do we?" I bit my lip in thought. The only problem would be if the Dai Li got involved. My mind once again strayed towards the events that were fast approaching I was scared. I wanted to warn my friends and at the same time I didn't with a jolt I realized that I wanted control over who would know and who wouldn't. I felt disgust well up inside me. What gave me the right to control their lives? I wanted to believe it was because I wanted to protect them and fear of everything going out of control but was that the problem?

"Pala? Is everything okay?" I jerked at Katara's voice.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I lied. I could see Katara's doubt but she didn't question and instead headed out with Aang and Toph. Sokka on the other hand wasn't going to let me get away that easily.

"So what's really going on?" I sighed and pinched the bridge on my nose.

"There's something coming up and I… I don't know how to face it."

"So tell us, we can help." I wanted to scream at him that it wasn't that easy. Instead I took a breath.

"I… I'm worried that if I tell to many people everything will get out of control. This in particular is so touchy but if I don't change things I won't be able to forgive myself but if I do I don't know what would happen because some of the things that happen are fairly important. I mean sure, the day of black sun was completely botched..." I trailed off noticing Sokka look.

"Sorry, I was just working myself up there. My point is I don't know what to do." I admitted softly.

"If you don't want to tell the others then maybe just tell me." He replied. I looked at Sokka for a moment before nodding. I trusted him, not that I didn't trust the others I just knew that he wouldn't try to take things into his own hands without talking to me.

"Things are about to go to hell in a hand basket. Near the end Azula comes here, captures Katara and Zuko, locks them away and then when Aang goes to rescue them... he's killed." Sokka jerked backwards like I had shot him, eyes wide in horror.

"It's not all that bad!" I blurted quickly, "Katara uses the special water from the spirit oasis to bring him back."

"How does anything good come of that?" Sokka hissed. I realized that he was more upset then he had let on which was saying something. I should have been more upset too, this was Aang. Somehow in my mind though all my friends weren't linked to the characters I knew, it was almost like the series I knew was like the Ember Island Players version of our lives. It wasn't true, there was so much different I couldn't really connect them as one and the same anymore. Thinking deeply I realized that nothing good came from Aang's 'death', sure the world thought he was dead but the fire nation hadn't been taken down on the day of black sun anyway, no one had been looking for the avatar sure, but Azula has already begun to suspect that he wasn't really dead. But how could I stop it? I didn't know and that itself was bothering me.

"You're right. I... I don't know how to stop it." Sokka sighed.

"How long?" I blinked.

"How long until this event is supposed to happen?" He reiterated patiently.

"Three weeks to a month." I responded after a moment, brow creased in thought. He nodded, eyes serious.

"Let's take it one step at a time then."


Of all the people I had expected to see, Joo Dee was not one of them.

"What's she doing here?" I hissed as I came up alongside Katara who was frowning as Joo Dee conversed with Aang.

"I don't know, she won't tell us why, she was just waiting outside the house when we came out." Katara didn't look any happier then I felt. A very pleasing image of my hands wrapping around Joo Dee's neck flashed before my eyes but I repressed it quickly.

"I must insist that I come along, you are our guests, it would be rude to leave you on your own." Joo Dee told Aang, her face still stuck in that painfully fake smile. Gritting my teeth I began to storm down the road, my goal past Aang and the annoying woman when she stepped into my path.

"Please, allow me to accompany you." That was it.

"No, you are not allowed to accompany us. Not only is it perfectly acceptable for us to travel alone, as we have been doing so for several months now but you gave us that house as our home. Therefore we are not guests." My frustration and stress had been building up inside me since we had first seen the wall and now that I had loosed the cork with Sokka the rest was in perfect position for explosion.

"And as we are not guests you do not need to escort us. In fact how about you just toddle home to the Dai Li, report us and get it done and over with." Joo Dee staggered back as if struck and I realized that once again my stress had gotten the better of me and I had blurted out more then I should have. The mask was broken and Joo Dee piratically bolted into the carriage and took off. There was silence for a moment.

"Do you want to explain what just happened?"

"I thought it was sweet." Toph grinned, unaware of Katara's annoyed expression.

"I'd really rather not." Aang and Sokka shared a look and shrugged in tandem. I glared at them, only to be ignored and set off down the street. My thoughts whirling. Perhaps there was a way I could stop that whole encounter from happening but for it to work I would need to warn Zuko and Iroh. I knew they were in the city, in the lower ring, the question was where. Of course if I said I was looking for the best Tea maker in Ba Sing Se within a few days I should be directed to the right place. If there was one thing I could count on it was that Iroh wasn't going to hold back on his tea masterpieces.

We wandered through Ba Sing Se's middle, higher and a little of the lower class districts. Without Joo Dee there people were more willing to talk, but still extremely nervous. Interestingly enough we got the most response from those in the lower rings, those in the higher rings had the most to loose in the end and some were honestly unaware of that war. Those in the middle class were a lot more aware of the war but thought we were blowing things way out of proportion.

By the end of the day we were exhausted and more then ready to take a break. There had been little interest in any sort of war effort, even those in the lower class who had both understood and occasionally sympathized seemed unwilling to leave. It was more then a little off putting. We returned to our house, unaware of that there was about to be a change that none of us could have expected.


A shaken Joo Dee stared up, wide eyed at the men surrounding her.

"I don't know how, she knew but she did. She knew about you and my purpose... please don't be angry it wasn't my fault!" The men stayed quiet, still, unresponsive, waiting for one in their midst to speak.

"No, it was not your fault Joo Dee, although I do have some good news. Joo Dee, the earth king has invited you to Lake Laogai." Joo Dee's panic faded away as her iris' opened wide making her eyes look entirely black.

"I am honoured to accept his invitation."


A/N: Hi, thank you for having so much patience with me. I have managed to get this chapter posted, somehow. Anyway let me know what you think, and thank you every single one of you who have reviewed, I appreciate it more then I can say. I will try to reply to you each personally although the time for that is very scarce. Anyway, I hope this chapter is up to your expectation.
Princess Kassie Out.