Ru: Hello reviewers! Okay you slide by this time but I expect more reviews next time!
Bri: Yay! You do love us after all!
Tawny: Yeah, yeah, just say that opening statement thing, Ru.
Ru: Okay, here is the new chapter!
Chapter 6: Ba Sing Se
In the morning, they woke up and packed up their tents and supplies. Bri, Tawny, and Ru made one last offering to Elen of the Ways before they got on Appa with the others and left. If the weather was good they would be at Ba Sing Se by nightfall. Zuko looked over at Katara; he hadn't been able to talk to her since the night when those girls showed up. Damn it, I was hoping to talk to her about that night but we haven't been able to be alone since then. He sighed and looked away, life was complicated.
Katara looked over at Zuko and thought about the advice Ru had given her. He looked over at her and she quickly looked away. It was quiet other than the wind whipping past them as they flew. Sokka was cleaning his knife, Toph was leaning on the saddle in the front talking to Aang as he controlled Appa, Bri was reading a book, and Tawny and Ru were talking quietly. Ru finished her conversation with Tawny and looked over at the two troubled teens, she smiled. That's cute, their too shy to even look at each other in the eye! She nudged Katara; if they weren't going to start talking by themselves then she would have to start for them.
"Katara, next week is the Chun Tian festival, and usually people go in pairs." She said winking at Katara. "Maybe some boy in Ba Sing Se will ask you to go with him, unless someone else asks you first." Katara nodded, she knew where this was going.
"Yeah, maybe I'll meet someone cute." She replied. Sokka looked like he was going to have a seizure.
"Uh, Katara why don't you go with me?" He said hastily.
"No, the only rule is you can't show up with family." Ru said. Bri looked up from her book.
"I never-" She managed to say before Ru's hand clamped over her mouth. Sokka eyed them suspiciously.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Yep, I grew up in Ba Sing Se and it's been that way forever." Ru said quickly trying to restrain Bri from saying anything. Tawny rolled her eyes, she could see exactly what was going on here; it just took Bri a little longer.
Bri, don't you get it yet? Tawny thought.
Get what? She replied.
It's so obvious; it's practically hitting everyone in the face!
What? Bri thought. Tawny sighed; sometimes Bri could be so naïve.
What I'm doing, trying to get Katara and Zuko together! Sooner or later Zuko is bound to get jealous and ask Katara himself! But if you could take family then Sokka would take Katara and Zuko would never have the chance! Ru thought to her sister. Bri's eyes got wide and Ru let go of her mouth.
"Oh." Bri said quietly. Iroh looked at them. They had been talking to each other inside their heads. He thought. Very useful quality. Sokka looked at them suspiciously. What are they hiding? Whatever it was he didn't like it. His thoughts were interrupted when Toph turned around.
"I heard something about a party!" She said.
"Yeah, Ba Sing Se's annual Chun Tian Festival." Bri said excitedly. "Peking Dust, Sago Cakes, Mango Pudding, Five Spice Peanuts, and Green Tea Cakes!" Iroh looked up.
"Green Tea Cakes?" He said. Zuko sighed; green tea cakes had always been his uncle's favorite dessert.
"Yes, but, Bri, you can't have any of those things except the five spice peanuts; you know what happened last time!" Ru reminded her sister.
"She was so hyper she didn't go to sleep for two days!" Tawny said, laughing at the memory.
"Two days?" Sokka exclaimed. Bri blushed and nodded.
"And that's why you can't have sweets!" Ru said.
For the rest of the trip the group talked comfortably. The sun was just setting when they finally got to Ba Sing Se. Ru pointed out where they should land and they all got off. The palace guards recognized the ninja and lead them to the king. King Sujin was waiting for them in his throne room.
"Ah! Excellent, you're back and you have brought Prince Zuko!" The king said.
"Yes, your majesty, and we have also brought the Avatar and his friends." Ru said as she kneeled in front of his throne, her sisters did the same. Aang bowed politely when he was mentioned along with Sokka, Katara, Toph, and Iroh. Zuko just stood there. Iroh glanced over at his nephew.
"You should not be so rude Prince Zuko!" He whispered. "You are a guest!"
"Yeah, whatever." Zuko said and he bowed.
The king laughed. "General Iroh, it has been a while."
"King Sujin, it is an honor as always" Iroh said.
"I had heard that you had been running from the Fire Nation as well. Well, anyone running from the Fire Nation is welcome here."
"Thank you, your majesty." Iroh said.
"Please, we have known each other long enough, you can call me Sujin! I also want a rematch in Pai Sho."
"Of course." Iroh chuckled.
"You two know each other?" Zuko asked confused.
"Yes, I laid siege to Ba Sing Se, remember? I met with Sujin when we broke through the wall."
"We would have been friends if the Fire Nation had not been attacking Ba Sing Se." Sujin added. "Enough of catching up, I bet you all are tired from your journey! We have prepared rooms for all of you, Bri and Tawny will lead you to them. Ru, I need to speak with you."
"Yes, your majesty." Ru said and remained where she was. Bri and Tawny complied and led the group out of the room. King Sujin motioned for Ru to stand and follow him to his study. Once they were inside a guard shut the door, King Sujin sat down at his desk and told Ru to have a seat.
"Now, to more serious matters, Prince Zuko's army is assembled and training as we speak." He said once she had sat down in a chair across from his desk.
"What about the ninja squad we sent to spy on the Fire Nation?" She asked.
"That is the reason I wanted to talk to you. We sent the best recon team we had, but…"
"Oh no." Ru said feeling sick.
"Yes, they were captured and are probably being tortured for information." Ru gasped, she never expected it to end up like this; herfriends were on that squad! She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Oh my Gods!
"I know it's hard for you to hear these things, but we are doing the best we can to try and rescue them." Ru nodded, she knew that if there was something they could do, they would be doing it; they just didn't let the best recon team they had get killed. But she also knew that the chances of bringing them back were one hundred to one.
"We could send a rescue squad to bring them home." King Sujin offered. He was trying to help, even though he didn't know anything about ninja; that's why he had Ru, his top ninja official. She shook her head.
"No, I'm afraid that the only way to rescue them now is to defeat the Fire Nation." She said with determination in her voice. Kaori, Takamori, Mitsuoki; hold on!
"We have to get Zuko ready soon if we want to rescue them in time." The king said.
"Good, we'll start first thing in the morning!" Ru said as she got up to leave. "Good night, your majesty."
"Yes, and tell Iroh that we will have that rematch tomorrow."
"Yes, your majesty." She bowed and left the room. As she walked out the door she nearly fell over a ten year old girl, who was standing right outside the door.
"Wha-, oh! Hello, Princess Kayoko!" Ru said surprised.
"Hi, Ru! I didn't know you were back from your secret mission." She looked around and whispered the last two words. Ru laughed, everything was always a game with this one.
"Yes, I just got back. Are you here to talk to your father?" She asked; the girl nodded. "Well, he's in his study I think he could use a hug right about now." Kayoko grinned; she loved giving hugs, and ran into her father's study. Ru chuckled, she'd needed a boost, and Kayoko was always the person to go to if you felt down. She yawned and made her way down the hall. She intended to go to the room given to Iroh, to give him the king's message, but she heard a sound behind her. It was faint; and if she wasn't a ninja she might not have caught it. She kept walking and waited for the sound to get closer. Then when it was right behind her, she spun around; her guard up.
"Eek!" The sixteen year old girl behind Ru screamed. "I never can sneak up on you!"
"Eriko?" Ru squealed and hugged her best friend. "How are you?"
"I'm good, and guess what I met a guy!" She squeaked.
"Really, did you tell your father, you know how he is with you and guys!"
"No, I haven't even told the guy who my father is yet! It intimidates guys when they know you're the king's daughter." She replied.
"Okay, but he's gonna find out sooner or later." Ru said.
"Yeah, but I'll worry about that later." Eriko said pushing it aside. "Anyways, does my brother know your back yet?" She prodded; Ru blushed when she thought about Tamotsu.
"No, he doesn't, I mean, I haven't seen him." Ru stumbled.
"Oh," Eriko smiled. "He'll be looking for you when he finds out you're back."
"Yeah. Well, I have to deliver a message to one of our guests from the king. So, I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" Ru said.
"Okay, but you need to relax, your always working!" Eriko ordered.
"Yeah, okay, I'll relax after the war is over!" Eriko rolled her eyes; she knew that her friend would never relax until all the work was done.
"Alright, have it your way," she said, "good night."
"Good night." Ru said as she continued to walk down the hall.
Zuko was in his uncle's room drinking some tea that had been sent up, when he heard a knock at the door. He stood up and went to go answer it. When he opened the door Ru was standing there.
"Oh, your highness! I'm sorry, am I interrupting anything?" Ru said surprised.
"No, I was just leaving, good night Uncle." He said as he walked out the door.
"Good night, Prince Zuko. Please, come in, Ru." Iroh said.
"Oh your highness, just a minute, your training starts first thing in the morning so you may want to get a good night's sleep." Ru told him before he made his way down the hall.
"Yeah, yeah." Zuko stuck his hands in his pockets and kept walking; he had other things to worry about, like if he was going to ask Katara to that festival next week. I want to but will she say yes? And what will her brother say? Zuko sighed; life was very complicated.
Ru: Well, reviewers there you go! Will Zuko ask Katara? What will her brother say?
Bri: I think another good question is "What is with Ru and Tamotsu?"
Ru: Bri! (Seriously blushes)
Tawny: (laughs) So are y'all an item or not?
Ru:…
Tawny: Don't even try it we know what your thinking and feeling, remember?
Ru: I'll never tell! (runs out of room)
Bri: Ru, wait come back! Who's gonna tell the reviewers to review? … (exchanges glances with Tawny)
Tawny: (pushes Bri) So, rev-
Bri: (pushes Tawny's face out of the way) I wanna do it!
Tawny: (fighting with Bri) No, I want to!
Bri & Tawny: (glare at each other) Grrrrrrr! (continue fighting)
Eriko: (comes in while Bri and Tawny are fighting each other) Well, if y'all are going to fight I guess I'll say it! Please review, reviewers!
Bri & Tawny: (stop fighting and notice that line has been said) Hey! (jump on Eriko and start fighting with her)
Ru: Is it safe to come out yet? (sees best friend and sisters fighting) (sighs) Please ignore them. (smiles) Anyways, I need to tell you reviewers that this chapter is dedicated to my old friend Eriko. She moved to Japan when I was in fourth grade and I haven't seen her since, but she was the first person to introduce me to anime. So, Eriko if you're reading this: thanks for everything!
-Directorchic16