Sorry for not upsating in a long time. So, here is an extra long chapter. Hope you enjoy and PLEASE tell me what you think!
Ray woke up fairly early. She walked out into the living room and heard loud snoring. She spotted a black bush of hair as the sorce. Ray surpressed a giggle.
She sat down on a pillow a little ways away from the snoring earthbender. A few minutes passed and a voice brought her out of her train of thought.
"Huh, what did you say? Sorry I wasn't paying attention." she said as a slight blush creeped onto her cheeks and looked up to see Sokka smiling down at her.
"I said she always sounds like that." he pointed at Toph as he sat down
Ray giggled. "I was lost in thought the first time you asked."
"It's alright. Are you okay, with everything that's happened?"
"I guess. My life definatly took a turn for the different." she said with a slight smile
"Ya, I bet."
There was silence for a bit. Ray decided to break the silence with a question that has been on her mind all morning.
"So, uh. Did you tell the others who I really am?"
"No, why?"
"I just don't want them to know that part. Your one of the only people in the world that knows who I really am." she said truthfully
"I got it. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." he smiled at her.
She sighed in relief. "Thank you so much. You don't know how good that feels to know I can trust someone."
Aang walked out cheery and bright eyed. Little did they know, he was eavesdropping on their little conversation. He wanted to know who their little guest really was.
"Sokka, your never up this early? What's up?" Aang asked a little confused.
"Just couldn't sleep." he stated.
"Ok then." Aang plopped down on the pillow by Ray. "So, are you from here?"
"Ya, I grew up here. I moved away, though, and recently returned."
"What brought you back here?" he asked
"Friends, I would say family, but I don't have any."
"I got it." Aang said as Katara walked out.
"Morning." she said and yawned afterwards.
"Morning." Aang answered back
"Uhg!" complained the pile of blankets and pillows across the room. A creature with pointy hair sat up and pushed the blankets away. "You guys are LOUD." she complained
Ray had a look of confusion and horror on her face. "Your...your hair." she said shocked
"So what, it's hair."
"Never mind."
Aang, Sokka, and Katara bursted out laughing. Toph had a smirk on her lips.
"So, what are we going to do?" Katara asked.
"Continue with what we started. Joo Dee won't help us so we'll continue ourselves." Aang said
"What are you doing?" Ray asked
"We are searching for our friend. He's a flying bison named Appa." Katara said
"I thought the other night I heard someone scream the name Appa. If you need any assistance, I can help. I know this city better than any of the Di Lee."
"That would be great." Aang said.
"No problem. I mean, you are letting me stay with you. Do you know for sure he's here?"
"No, but we heard he was here by some merchants. That's our best guess." Aang said
Katara walked outside to check the mail. She returned with a piece of paper.
"Guys, I got it." she exclaimed, happy as if she solved a problem. "I know how we're going to see the Earth King."
Ray's stomach started to turn. Toph somehow missed the feeling though and commented. "How are we supposed to do that? 'One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King.'" she mimmicked
"The king is having a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear."
"You mean Platipus Bear?" Aang asked
"No, it just says bear." she said confused
"Certanly you mean his pet skunk bear." Sokka suggested
"Or his armadillo bear." Toph added
"Or his gopher bear." Aang added
"It just says bear." Katara stated
"Yep, tha's right." Ray said
"This place is weird." Toph said
"The palace will be packed." Katara said moving on. "We can sneek in with the croud."
"Won't work." Ray and Toph said in unison. The gaang looked at the two with weird looks.
"Why not?" Katara asked
"No offence to you simple country folk." Toph continued "But a real sociaty croud would spot you a mile away." she said than ate a bread bite "You've got no manners."
"Excuse me?! I've got no manners? Your not exactly lady fancy fingers." Katara stated offendively
Toph burped. "I learned proper sociaty and behavour and chose to leave it." she said throwing a bread bite. "You never learned anything. And frankly it's a little to late." she said picking her nose and flinging it
"Ha, but you learned it. You can teach us." Sokka said
"Ya i'm mastering the elements. How hard could mastering manners be?" Aang said. He jumped off the railing and grabbed the curtain. He wrapped it around himself like a cape. He spoke like he was a rich city person "Good evening mr. Sokka of the Water Tribe, Ms Katara of the Water Tribe, Lord Momo of the Momoness, the Momoest."
Sokka did the same with the curtain and spoke in a deeper voice. "Avatar Aang, how do you do go on?"
Aang bowed, then Sokka, and they kept going back and forth till they hit heads.
Ray just shuck her head no. "I learned when I was little. There are so many rules and guide lines, it's not funny. It would take you months, maybe even years to teach you. It would take weeks just to teach you the basics."
"Katara might be able to pull it off, but you two would be lucky to pass as bus boys." Toph said standing up.
"Ya." Ray agreed.
"But I feel so fancy." Sokka said with a goofy smile.
"There is another little problem with the whole plan about sneaking in with the croud." Ray said
"What" Katara asked
"They have name lists. If your names not on, you can't get in. Nomatter how high of a rank of general or business you are."
"We'll get in, trust me." Toph said
"Wait, I am not going." Ray said, relizing that they were expecting her to.
"Why not." Katara asked
"I don't do good with the palace."
"Please." Katara begged
"Ya, you know the place better than any of us." Sokka added
She sent him a small glare. "Fine." she spat
"Come on, we need to get ready girls." Toph said
The sun was setting when the girls walked out. They were wearing green kimonos. They had green fans up to cover their face. Their hair was up and wrapped around a hair piece that was also green with strings hanging on either side of their face with beads. There was also a flower in there hair. Toph's was red, Katara's pink, and Ray's pink. The three girls also had make up. Ray's was lighter than the other two. They were also wearing earings.
They all laughed. "Wow, you look beautiful." Aang said. Sokka flicked his face. Katara was about to say something when Toph covered her mouth with her fan.
"Don't talk to the commoners, Katara. First rule of sociaty."
"Yep." Ray added in agreement.
"We'll get into the party, then let you in through the side gate." Katara said as the three walked out.
They waited in line to get in. When they did the guy asked for an invitation.
"I think this will do." Toph said holding a passport up with the Beifong's name on it.
"No entry without an invatation. Step out of line please."
"Look, the Peng's and Yumb Shu Pong's are in there waiting for us." Toph said, putting her hands in her sleeves. "I'm going to have to tell them who didn't let us in."
"Step out of line please." he said again
The three did as Ray whispered in their ears. "I told you."
They saw a guy who the gaurds were bowing to and Katara got an idea. Ray quickly recognized the man. "It won't work, Katara." ray said
"Sir, i'm sorry to bother you, but my cousin lost our invitations." Katara said
"She's blind." Ray added
"Do you think you could help us? Our families are in side and i'm sure they're very worried." Katara finished
The guy looked at the three and his eyes stopped on Ray for a split second, holding the sign of relization.
"I am honored." he said. It took Ray all of her muscles to not glare and to keep a smile. "Please come with me."
The three girls followed him up to the guard, who bowed, and they stuck their tungs out at him.
They were in the party and Toph could feel the uneasy feeling Ray had.
"It's beautiful, isn't it. By the way, i'm Long Feng, the cultral minister to the king."
"I'm Qua Mai, and this is La Ray my sister." Ray bowed. "And Dung, my cousin." Toph reached up and pulled Katara's string after she told him their fake names.
"Now where is your family, i'd love to meet them." Long Feng said
"Uh, I don't see them right now, but I'm sure we'll find them soon. Bye. Thanks for all your help." Katara said with a slight wave.
They started to walk away but ended up face to face with him.
"Don't worry. As your escort it would be dishonorable to leave you ladies without finding your families first. We'll keep looking." he said turning around to walk them through the building
"Told you." Ray mused in the other two's ears, again
Toph led them to two server boys. Ray and Katara imediatly recognized the boys as servers.
"Another crab puff please." Toph asked
"You found us." Aang said
"I'd know your footsteps anywhere twinkle toes." Ray surpressed a giggle as her and Katara walked up
"Thanks for letting us in." Sokka said sarcasticly
"Sorry, but the guy that escorted us in won't let us out of his sight." katara explained
"Ya, he has been following us everywhere." Ray added
"What guy?" Sokka asked looking around. The girls looked too.
Suddenly Joo Dee walked up. "What are you doing here. You have to leave imediatly or we're all in terrible trouble."
"Not until we see the king." Sokka said as he blocked her from pushing him.
"You don't understand. You must go." she said still pushing him. He hit Aang who dumped his water on a lady near by.
She had the look of horror on her face as she was drenched and her make up was smeered. She screeched
"Sorry, no don't shout." Aang said as he airbended at her to dry her. The ladies hair and dress froze in a weird position
"The Avatar, oh I didn't know the avatar would be here." she said. People looked at him from around the room.
Joe Dee's smile turned into a frown. A circle of people surounded him. He put on a smile and waved as Sokka whispered into his ear. "You keep their attention while I look for the king."
"Watch this everybody." Aang said as he jumped out of serving clothes and into the air. He landed on the table as Sokka went to looking. Aang waterbent the colored water into a sphere as the croud ood and ahd.
There was a grand entrance for the Earth King, who was on a gondala. Aang was playing with water bubble with the bear. He heard Sokka whisper to him and looked.
Aang jumped on an air scooter and rode down the table. "Greeting your majesty."
Sokka ran towards him, but was stopped by two Di Lee. Three Di Lee shot gloves at the girls' hands and mouth.
"Avatar, it is a great honor to meet you." Long Feng greeted at the end of the table where Aang had just jumped off his air scooter. "I'm Long Feng, grand secatariate of Ba Sing Se and head of the Di Lee. I'd like to talk to you. Your friends with be waiting for us in the library." he said and walked away. Aang followed
Once the door was shut, Sokka yelled at Long Feng. "Why won't you let us talk to the king? We have information that could defeat the Fire Nation."
"The Earth King has no time to get involved with political swabbles in the day today of military activities." Long Feng said
"This could be the most important thing he's ever heard." Aang said
"What's most important to his royal majesty is maintaning the cultral inharetage of Ba Sing Se. All his duties relate to dicrease in which matters it is my job to over see the use of the cities resources including the military." he said with a smirk
"So the King is just a figure head." Katara said
"He's your puppet." Toph yelled angerly
"Oh, no no. His majesty is an icon, a god to his people. He can't sully his hands with an endless war."
"But we found out about a solar eclipce that will leave the Fire Nation difenceless." Sokka tried to persuade. "You could lead an invasion.."
He was cut off by long Feng. "Enough." Ray was starting to worry. "I don't want to hear your rediculous plan. It is the strict polacy of Ba Sing Se that the war not be mentioned inside the walls." Ray started to get a head ache. "Constant news about a raging war would throw the citisens into a state of panic." her hands got clamy "Our economy would be ruined." her whole body started to shake. "The peaceful life would disapear." she closed her eyes "In silence of conflict, Ba Sing Se remains a peaceful order of utopia."
"You can't keep the truth from all these people. They have to know." Katara said. Ray took a few steps back and started to shake her head.
"I'll tell them." Aang said stepping forward. "I'll make sure everyone knows." he said
Toph noticed Ray's actions and knew some thing was wrong
"Until now, you have been treated as our honored guest. But for now on you will be watched all the time by the Di Lee agents." Ray sat down as Long Feng said this, her body still shaking along with her head. "If you mention the war to anyone, you will be expelled from the city. I understand that you have been looking for your bison. It would be quite a shame if you were not able to complete your quest. And I know that you don't want your brother to know your in town. Otherwise the punishment will be much more severe. You are the only person the king really hates."
Everyones head turned back to look at the shaking body on the ground. Everyone was shocked except for Sokka. Ray's body was wracked with silent tears as her head was tucked into her lap.
"Now Joe Dee will escort you home." Everyone except for Ray looked towards the door.
"Come with me please."
"What happened to Joe Dee?" Katara asked
"I'm Joo Dee. I will be your host as long as your in our wonderful city."
Horror was on their faces. Aang, Toph and Katara started out of the room after 'Joo Dee' while Sokka stayed behind to help Ray.
She stood up and wrapped her arms around Sokka, still crying. "I can't wait to see you again, Princess Rayan." Long Feng said
Her tears grew as she hugged Sokka tighter, wishing Zuko was there to comfort her instead. The whole carriage ride home, she clung to Sokka, shaking violently with silent sobs.
Ray was fast asleep when they returned home. Sokka carried her inside and laid her down on a pile of pillows. He then walked outside and sat down on the porch.