Jin and Li sat with their arms crossed as the train sped along the track. They had been traveling for some time, and after the battle against the massive Fire Nation drill, the Earthbending boys were feeling a little tired. Their eyelids were starting to feel very heavy, and they surrendered to the sweet embrace of…
"Look, the inner wall!" Katara's voice broke through their sleepy haze, causing them to wake up just when they were going to sleep.
Jin and Li gazed outside and saw that they were approaching the inner wall, which separated the Agrarian Zone from the Lower Ring. The twins had spent their early years in the streets of the small communities near the Outer Wall, and that was where their father had found them. They had never been past the Inner Wall, and they were curious as to what they would find in there.
"I can't believe we finally made it to Ba Sing Se in one piece" Katara continued.
"Hey, don't jinx it!" Sokka said. "We could still be attacked by some giant, exploding Fire Nation spoon. Or find out the city's been submerged in an ocean full of killer shrimp".
The twins exchanged a glance, and Toph asked "You been hitting the cactus juice again?" as she petted Momo.
"I'm just sayin: weird stuff happens to us" Sokka replied. Almost as if on cue, a large man with a blank expression and an ear of corn in his mouth sat in between Toph and the Water Tribe boy. Jin and Li wrinkled their noses at the sight.
"Don't worry, Aang" they heard Katara tell the Airbender. "We'll find Appa".
"It's such a big city" Aang replied despondently.
"He's a giant Bison" Sokka said, walking up to them. "Where could someone possibly hide him?" His question was answered as the train emerged into the Lower Ring. It was utterly massive, much larger than any other city the twins had been to; buildings and houses could be seen as far as the eye could see. The train soon arrived at the station, and the group stepped onto the platform.
"Ah, back in the city" Toph said dryly. "Great".
"What's the problem?" Sokka asked. "It's amazing!"
Jin and Li found themselves disputing that a little. Once they had registered the sheer size of the city, or this portion at least, there really wasn't that much that appealed to them. "Just a bunch of walls and rules" Toph said, voicing their opinion. "You wait: you'll get sick of it in a couple of days".
Aang walked up to the edge of the platform, gazing out at the vastness of Ba Sing Se. He blew on his Bison whistle, but of course, nothing happened. "I'm coming for you, buddy".
The twins suddenly felt Katara's arms wrapped around their shoulders. "You guys must be looking forward to seeing your family again, huh?" Jin and Li's eyes widened with mild shock; they had almost completely forgotten their cover story, and now they were at Ba Sing Se, the place where the others thought that their 'family' had fled to. Luckily, the city's gargantuan size meant that they still had time. Time for what, they had no idea, but Jin crouched down and wrote his affirmation of Katara's statement on the ground.
The Water Tribe girl then walked over to where Aang was standing. "He's here, I can feel it" the Airbender said with absolute certainty.
"Hello, my name is Joo Dee" a woman's voice greeted from behind them. Jin and Li turned around, and involuntarily flinched when they saw an otherwise average-looking woman with a dazzling, yet unnatural, smile. "I have been given the great honour of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, Toph, Jin, and Li. Welcome to our wonderful city. Shall we get started?"
"Yes", Sokka answered quickly, probably feeling as uneasy about this woman as the twins were. "We have information about the Fire Nation army that we need to deliver to the Earth King immediately".
"Great", Joo Dee replied in her jovial tone, "let's begin our tour. And then I'll show you to your new home here. I think you'll like it".
Sokka growled in annoyance, and the twins narrowed their eyes as they gazed at the back of Joo Dee's head. Something felt… wrong about her, something the Earthbending boys couldn't identify, but whatever it was, it was very, very creepy. "Maybe you missed what I said" Sokka told her. "We need to talk to the King about the war; it's important".
"You're in Ba Sing Se now" Joo Dee replied, her smile nearly blinding in its intensity. "Everyone is safe here". Eventually, she started showing the group around the city on a guided tour. The twins tried their best to sit as far away from her as possible. "This is the Lower Ring" she explained as their carriage moved forward.
"What's that wall for?" Katara asked.
"Oh, Ba Sing Se has many walls" Joo Dee replied. "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 craftsmen and artisans, people that work with their hands. It's so quaint and lively". The twins gazed out the window, and saw a pair of men with large swords grinning at them. "You do want to watch your step, though" Joo Dee advised.
"Why do they have all these poor people blocked off in one part of the city?" Katara asked.
"This is why I never came here before" Aang said. "I always heard it was so different from the way the monks taught us to live". Looking out at the Inner Wall, Jin and Li were thinking that the monks had been right.
I sighed as I carried the flower pot in my arms, doing my best to see over the bright orange flowers. Iroh had insisted that we get something nice for our new home, and despite my protests, he had bought this semi-lavish flower arrangement, hence its presence in my arms. Zuko arched an eyebrow upon seeing what I was carrying. Iroh replied to the unanswered question "I just want our new place to look nice in case someone brings home a lady friend". He proceeded to nudge both me and Zuko.
I rolled my eyes. I wasn't looking for a new girlfriend; my thoughts and dreams were filled with visions of another, one with black hair and green and blue eyes.
"This city is a prison" Zuko said. "I don't want to make a life here".
"Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not" Iroh replied. "Now come on, I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon". I looked out at the buildings as we walked, wondering if I could truly start over here.
"This is the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se", Joo Dee said as their carriage emerged from the Inner Wall, "home to the financial district, shops and restaurants, and the university".
"Yeah, we met a professor from Ba Sing Se university" Sokka said. "He took us to an ancient underground library where we discovered information about the war that is absolutely crucial for the King to hear!"
"Isn't history fascinating?" Joo Dee asked in her perpetual good mood. Jin and Li slapped their foreheads in annoyance. "Look", she pointed out, "here's one of the oldest buildings in the Middle Ring: Town Hall".
She then stepped out of the carriage, and everyone stared incredulously at her. "Is that woman deaf?" Sokka asked. "She only seems to hear every other word I say".
"It's called being handled" Toph replied. The twins turned to look at the blind girl, who said "Get used to it". The Earthbending boys didn't want to get used to this kind of thing.
"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers" Pao noted, appraising us. Iroh had gotten us jobs as servers in the man's less-than-pristine tea shop here in the Lower Ring. I stood beside Zuko as the two of us put on our aprons. Iroh, on the other hand, struggled as he attempted to bring the strings of his apron around his bulky midriff. "How do you feel?" Pao asked.
"Ridiculous" Zuko replied irritably.
"Just fine, thank you" I said, bowing to our new employer.
"Uh, does this possibly come in a larger size?" Iroh asked, failing in his attempts to tie the strings of his apron.
"I have extra string in the back" Pao replied. He poured tea into three cups. "Have some tea while you wait". He then handed the cups to each of us before heading off to the back of the shop.
We all took a sip, and I cringed as the poor excuse for tea ran down my throat. "This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!" Iroh said, echoing my sentiments.
"Do people in this city even know what real tea tastes like?" I asked.
"That's what all tea is" Zuko replied, rubbing his forehead.
I turned to him incredulously. The scarred teenager was many things: petulant, proud, angry, and delusional at times. However, none of that behaviour excused such a shocking statement. My hand involuntarily clenched into a fist, and I had to force myself to ease the tension.
"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible?" Iroh asked, sounding just as shocked as I was. He then grabbed the tea pot before making his way towards the back. "We'll have to make some major changes around here".
Glancing down at the abomination I held in my hands, I pursed my lips. Setting the cup down on the table, I walked after Iroh. "I'm coming with you; our new employer needs to learn what real tea tastes like!"
"The Upper Ring is home to our most important citizens" Joo Dee said. "Your house is not far from here". The twins could easily see how important this place was: each building looked like it had been built with exquisite detail, and they were far more spread out than in the Middle or Lower Rings, leaving space for rich, vibrant gardens and tranquil pools and lakes.
"What's inside that wall?" Katara asked as the carriage passed a massive U-shaped structure. Three men stood inside the entrance, dressed in pointed hats and dark green uniforms. They had an overall disturbing demeanor, and the twins instantly decided that they didn't care for whoever they were. "And who are the mean looking guys in robes?"
"Inside is the Royal Palace" Joo Dee replied jovially. "Those men are agents of the Dai Li, the cultural authority of Ba Sing Se. They are the guardians of all our traditions".
"Can we see the King now?" Aang asked, sounding like he'd had just about enough of the guided tour.
"Oh, no!" Joo Dee replied with a merry laugh. "One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King". Jin and Li slapped their foreheads again, becoming seriously annoyed at all the rules and protocol that seemed to dictate city life. Eventually, they came to a spacious-looking home with a breathtaking view of nearby buildings and light forests. "Here we are: your new home". Just then, a messenger ran up to the strange woman, handing her a scroll. "More good news" she said upon reading it. "Your request for an audience with the Earth King is being processed, and it should be put through in about a month. Much more quickly than usual".
"A month?" Sokka asked despairingly. Jin and Li's shoulders slumped in defeat; after all they had gone through, after literally saving the city from a Fire Nation invasion, they still had more obstacles in their way.
"Six to eight weeks, actually" Joo Dee clarified with another blinding smile. They then entered the house, which was one of the finest that Jin and Li had ever seen. "Isn't it nice? I think you'll really enjoy it here".
"I think we'd enjoy it more if we weren't staying so long" Sokka replied. "Can't we see the King any sooner?"
"The Earth King is very busy running the finest city in the world, but he will see you as soon as time permits".
"If we're gonna be here for a month, we should spend our time looking for Appa" Aang said. "Not to mention Jin and Li's family".
The twins exchanged a glance as Joo Dee happily said "I'll be happy to escort you anywhere you'd like to go".
"We don't need a babysitter" Toph said bluntly.
"Oh, I won't get in the way" Joo Dee replied casually. "And to leave you alone would make me a bad host. Where shall we start?"
Despite their trepidations about having her follow them everywhere they went, the group started making inquiries as to where Appa might be. They went to a local zookeeper, a student at the university, anywhere that might provide a lead as to where the Bison was. They kept getting the same thing from each location: nothing. No one wanted to talk about it, and almost every time, the twins thought they saw Joo Dee shaking her head at each of the people they talked to.
"Well, I'm sorry no one has seen your Bison" she said conversationally when they returned to the house. "Why don't you go get some rest? Someone will be over with dinner later". As her carriage drove away, the twins caught sight of an old man through the door of the house across the street. Jin tugged on Sokka's shoulder before pointing to the old man.
"Hey, come with me" he quietly told the others. They proceeded to walk over to the house, and Sokka knocked on the door.
The old man slid it open, a friendly smile on his face. "You're the Avatar" he said in awe. "I heard you were in town. I'm Pong".
"Nice to meet you, Pong" Aang greeted.
"So Pong, what's goin' on with this city?" Sokka asked. "Why is everyone here so scared to talk about the war?"
Pong glanced about nervously. "War… scared? What do you mean?"
The twins thought they felt something through their feet, but Toph beat them to it and said "I can feel you shaking".
"Look, I'm just a minor government official" Pong said. "I've waited three years to get this house. I don't want to get in trouble".
Jin and Li exchanged a questioning glance. "Get in trouble with who?" Katara asked.
Pong shushed her. "Listen, you can't mention the war here. And whatever you do, stay away from the Dai Li". He then slid the door shut, leaving the twins more confused than ever. Why was he so scared of the Dai Li?
"Would you like a pot of tea?" Iroh asked as I sat down. We had all just finished our first shift at Pao's Tea Shop, and we had effected great changes in the establishment. Though we were technically servers, Iroh and I had effectively become his new brewers after he beheld our awesome and extensive knowledge on the subject.
"We've been working in a tea shop all day" Zuko complained as he laid on the couch. Our new apartment was a far cry from some of the rooms we had all grown up with in the Fire Nation, but it was much better than sleeping on the streets. "I'm sick of tea".
"Sick of tea?!" I asked. "How could you be sick of something that gives you warmth and comfort in the form of a delicious drink that warms your belly and delights the senses?"
"That's like being sick of breathing!" Iroh said, emphatically agreeing with me. After a moment, he asked "Have either of you seen our spark rocks to heat up the water?"
"No, I haven't" I replied, helping him look around the kitchen. The squat, older man proceeded to walk out of the apartment. A few minutes later, he returned with a pair of spark rocks in his hands.
"I borrowed our neighbours" he explained. As he started to heat up the water, he said "Such kind people".
As I helped Iroh in the kitchen, I turned to Zuko. "I take it that you don't want any tea?"
He stood up and stalked off to the one bedroom that the three of us were now forced to share. "I'm going to bed" he muttered as he slid the door shut.
I shrugged. "Oh well", I said, turning to Iroh. "More for us". A few minutes later, the water was ready, and I took it off of the fire. Once we had finished brewing it, he poured it into two cups. We both took a sip, and I felt the familiar comforting warmth run down my throat into my belly. I turned to gaze out the window, at the dark of night. The city was quiet, at rest; there was something comforting about the quiet and silence.
After finishing his cup, Iroh yawned and said "I'm going to turn in".
I looked down at my own cup. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight". I downed the rest of the tea in my cup in a single gulp before moving to fill it again.
I stopped when Iroh placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. I turned to look down at him, and he bore an expression of almost fatherly concern. "You still have the nightmares". It wasn't a question, it was a statement; he knew very well that I was, and there was no point in asking.
I nodded, leaning against the counter. "I haven't been able to sleep properly since after the North Pole. Every time I close my eyes, I see visions of Takara, the twins… even my father. Everyone I've ever failed haunts my dreams, and sleep gives me no comfort".
Iroh nodded, listening intently to my words. "What happened to them wasn't your fault" he told me. "Your father chose his own path, and his greed destroyed him. His actions were his, and his alone. As for your boys, we know they are traveling with the Avatar. I'm sure that they're fine. I have never met more skilled Earthbenders. And Takara is strong; though she is in the clutches of Azula, she will not break easily".
I smiled marginally. "After the wave swept me away at the North Pole, I had a vision. I was back in my room of the house where I grew up in the Fire Nation, and my mother was there. She said the same things you're saying now: that it wasn't my fault, that I shouldn't be blaming myself. After twenty years, I'd almost forgotten what she looked like. I remember the stories she used to tell me when I was little and the sound of her voice, but almost nothing else. I was seven years old when she died; I have nothing but my memories".
Iroh smiled as well. "Those whom we have lost have a way of staying with us as we make our way through life. The important thing is to honour their memory and trust that they will be proud of the person you have become". He then walked off towards the bedroom, and I stared into what was left in the tea pot, seeing a number of familiar faces flash before my eyes on the surface of the tea.
Jin and Li slept soundly on the floor next to each other, until their sleep was broken by the sound of Katara's voice. "I know how we're gonna see the Earth King" she said excitedly, and the Earthbending boys reluctantly sat up, forcing their crust-filled eyes open.
As they wiped their eyes clean, Toph asked "How are we supposed to do that?" She then held a finger up and showed as much of her teeth as she could in an imitation of Joo Dee. "One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King".
"The King is having a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear" Katara replied, referring to the scroll in her hands.
Bear?
Jin and Li exchanged a glance, their brows furrowed in confusion. "You mean platypus bear?" Aang asked.
"No, it just says 'bear'" Katara replied, reading the scroll carefully.
"Certainly you mean his pet skunk bear" Sokka suggested.
"Or his armadillo bear" Toph said.
Jin wrote on the ground, and Katara walked over to him in order to read it. She shook her head, saying "No, not gopher bear. Just 'bear'".
"This place is weird" Toph said after a moment of awkward silence.
"The palace will be packed" Katara said. "We can sneak in with a crowd".
"Won't work" Toph replied.
"Why not?" the Water Tribe girl asked, failing to see the flaw in her plan.
"Well, no offense to you simple country folk, but a real society crowd would spot you a mile away. You've got no manners".
"Excuse me?" Katara asked, putting her hands on her hips. "I've got no manners? You're not exactly lady fancy fingers".
Toph seemed unfazed by the comment, loudly burping after eating from a bowl of sweets. "I learned proper society behaviour and chose to leave it" the blind girl clarified. She then threw her sweet away, and it struck Li in the face. It then slid down into his hand, and he exchanged a neutral glance with his brother before licking the sweet frosting from his face. "You never learned anything" Toph added, drawing the brothers' attention. "And frankly, it's a little too late".
"Aha, but you learned it!" Sokka countered. "You could teach us!"
"Yeah, I'm mastering every element" Aang added. "How hard can manners be?" He took one of the drapes and wrapped it around himself like a cloak as he became very serious-looking. "Good evening, Mr. Sokka Water Tribe. Miss Katara Water Tribe. Lord Momo of the Momo Dynasty, your Momo-ness".
Sokka wrapped some drapes around himself and joined in. "Avatar Aang, how you do go on" he said in a deep, 'high-society' voice. The two of them proceeded to engage in a game of bowing back and forth until they both struck their heads together, knocking them onto their backs. Just then, Momo hopped onto the twins' shoulders, chattering away as they turned to look at the lemur.
"Katara might be able to pull it off, but you four would be lucky to pass as busboys" Toph appraised. Jin and Li weren't offended; they had started life as orphans, and their father had raised them in a military lifestyle.
The life of nobility was overrated, anyway.
A short time later, Toph and Katara emerged from their room, dressed for an evening with the high-society of Ba Sing Se. The two girls looked almost exactly the same, apart from their height and skin colour, but the twins' eyes were only focused on their blind companion.
Toph's normal tomboyish outfit had been replaced by an elegant white gown, and her hair had been specially done up into a bun in the back with a flower and twin braids draped on either side of her neck. Her eyes were bordered with dark eye shadow, and her cheeks were rosy with bright blush. She held a fan in front of her face, which meant that only her milky white eyes stared ahead, adding to the allure.
Jin and Li gulped, staring at the beautiful Earthbender standing before them.
The two girls giggled, and Aang said appreciatively "Wow, you look beautiful". Clearly, he was as taken with Katara's appearance as the twins were with Toph's.
Sokka flicked the Airbender on the side of the head, and Katara opened her mouth to speak, only to have Toph stop her with her fan. "Don't talk to the commoners, Katara. First rule of society" she said.
"We'll get in the party and then find a way to let you in through the side gate" Katara told the four of them as she and the blind girl walked out of the house.
Jin and Li barely heard her as they stared after Toph.
I poured some tea into the cups of two men sitting at one of the shop's tables. Every table was full, and business had been booming ever since the three of us had begun our employment here. Word of mine and Iroh's tea-brewing prowess spread through the Lower Ring like wildfire, and I was starting to get used to busy days.
One of the men took a sip, groaning appreciatively. "This is the finest tea I have ever tasted!" he said, causing his companion to nod in agreement. "Tell us: who is responsible for this magnificent brew?"
I smiled, absently stroking my beard, which now reached down to my chest. "My father Mushi and I brew it together" I replied. "We have had a passion for tea for most our lives".
"Well, it certainly shows" the other man said before taking a sip from his cup.
Suddenly, the front door slid open, revealing Jet. The younger man stepped through, his hands clenched into fists as he said "I'm tired of waiting. These three men are Firebenders!" He pointed a finger at me, Zuko, and Iroh before drawing his unique hooked swords. I glanced nervously at my two companions as the entire shop became deadly silent. "I know they're Firebenders!" Jet repeated. "I saw the old man heating his tea".
"He works in a tea shop" one of the patrons replied dryly.
"He's a Firebender, I'm telling you!" Jet said, his voice sounding almost deranged with obsession.
"Drop your swords, boy" the patron said, standing up alongside his companion. The two men were city patrolmen, and they carried swords sheathed at their sides. "Nice and easy".
"You'll have to defend yourself" Jet said, turning his gaze on me. At this point, I had walked over beside Iroh, my body tense as I prepared to defend myself. Even without my Firebending, I was still larger, stronger, and more experienced than this obviously troubled teenager. "Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do" he taunted, slowly advancing towards us.
One of the patrolmen started to draw his swords before Zuko grabbed them out of his hand. "You want a show?" he asked, brandishing the blades. "I'll give you a show".
He proceeded to kick a table at Jet, who leaped over it before crossing blades with the scarred teenager. Zuko dodged an attack, flipping backwards onto a table. His opponent sliced it neatly in half, and he leapt off of it just before his feet would have been sliced off. They both locked blades, their gazed held unrelentingly on each other. Zuko was the first to break the lock, aiming a slice at Jet's head. The other teenager ducked before circling around and kicking Zuko in the gut, sending him crashing out into the street.
Iroh and I quickly made our way to the doorway along with the patrons, watching as the duel unfolded. Jet said mockingly "You must be getting tired of using those swords. Why don't you go ahead and Firebend at me?"
"Please, son, you're confused!" Iroh called.
"You don't know what you're doing!" I added. Something told me that Jet wouldn't listen to reason in this matter.
"Bet you wish he helped you out with a little fire blast right now" he told Zuko.
"You're the one who needs help" the scarred teenager countered.
Jet barely ducked beneath a sword slice before flipping backwards onto a nearby well. At this point, a crowd was starting to gather around them. "You see that? The Fire Nation is trying to silence me! It'll never happen". He then used the hooked end of his sword to swing forward at Zuko, renewing his offensive.
Jin and Li peered out from either side of the lion turtle statue as Aang and Sokka did the same from its base. They looked out at the side entrance to the palace, awaiting Katara and Toph to create an opening. The two girls were late, so something must have been wrong. "Where are they?" Aang asked.
The twins crouched down as Sokka said "Look, I came up with a back-up plan. We dress Momo like a ghost, okay? He flies by the guards, creating a distraction. Then, we blast a hole in the wall…"
"Or we can go in with these guys" Aang said, cutting him off. Jin and Li turned around to see a number of servants carrying clothes through the side entrance. "Toph said we might pass as busboys".
"Okay", Sokka replied grudgingly, "but remember that Momo ghost plan; I think it's a winner". The twins idly scratched their chins as they watched the servants; the plan had merit, and hopefully it would proceed without any complications. A few minutes later, after some creative applications of Earthbending, the four of them were in the party, dressed as busboys. Jin and Li held food trays in their hands, offering bite-sized delicacies to several guests before making their way over to Aang and Sokka.
"Where are Toph and Katara?" the Airbender asked.
"Forget about them" Sokka replied as Momo's tail emerged from Aang's hat. "Just keep an eye out for the King".
"I don't know what he looks like" Aang countered.
"You know: royal, flowing robe, fancy jewelry" Sokka said nonchalantly. The twins gazed out at the assembled party guests; every single one of them was adorned with flowing robes and fancy jewelry, which made the task of spotting the Earth King next to impossible.
"That could be anybody" Aang said, voicing their thoughts.
"Another crab puff, please" a high-pitched voice ordered from beside them. Jin and Li turned to see a little girl standing a few feet away, her eyes closed in haughty derision. They didn't recognize her, but once she opened her eyes, they knew who it was.
"You found us!" Aang said excitedly.
"I'd know your little footsteps anywhere, Twinkle-Toes" Toph replied.
"Thanks for letting us in" Sokka complained.
Katara then walked up, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, but the guy who escorted us in won't let us out of his sight".
Jin and Li looked around as Sokka asked "What guy?"
Suddenly, Joo Dee hastily walked over to them. "What are you doing here?" she silently demanded. "You have to leave immediately, or we'll all be in terrible trouble".
She started to shove Sokka, but he resisted and said "Not until we see the King".
"You don't understand" Joo Dee replied. "You must go". She shoved Sokka once more, and he bumped into Aang, causing the contents of his jug to splash onto a female party guest. Jin and Li winced as she shrieked in surprise.
Aang held his hands up and said "Sorry, no, don't shout". He then thrust his arms forward and dried her with a gust of air, causing her hair and clothes to be pulled back.
Instead of being furious, she stared at Aang in wonder. "The Avatar. Oh, I didn't know the Avatar would be here". The room instantly silenced as everyone's gazes fell on the Airbender. Jin and Li glanced about the party guests nervously as Sokka whispered something to Aang. The bald boy leaped onto a table in the centre of the room and used his Bending in order to gather drinks from the cups on the table and twirl them about in a dazzling display. The guests applauded, and the twins exchanged a glance before silently beginning their search for the Earth King.
Zuko and Jet continued to cross blades, both teenagers having been reduced to only one weapon at this point. As they fought, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye, and saw two men dressed in pointed hats and black robes making their way through the crowd. The people hastily parted before them, and I could tell that these men were greatly feared. "Drop your weapons" one of them commanded.
"Arrest them" Jet said as he backed off. "They're Firebenders".
"This poor boy is confused" Iroh explained. "We're just simple refugees".
Pao pointed over to Jet. "This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!"
"It's true, sir" one of the patrolmen added. "We saw the whole thing: this crazy kid attacked the finest tea makers in the city".
"Oh, that's very sweet" Iroh replied, his cheeks blushing. I couldn't help but smile a little from the compliment.
The two men in robes walked up behind Jet. "Come with us, son" one of them said. The teenager tried swinging his hooked sword at the man, but he caught the blade in what looked to be some sort of earthen gauntlet. The two of them proceeded to use some of the rocks to bind Jet's wrists together.
"You don't understand!" he cried. "They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me". I watched as he was loaded onto the back of a wagon and driven away. What punishment he would receive, I could only guess.
Jin and Li turned to their left as a gong was rung. A number of the fancy royal guardsmen entered, some of them carrying an ornate palanquin. Inside sat a man who looked no older than their father dressed in fine clothing and sporting a pair of spectacles. The palanquin was set on a raised dais at the head of the room, and the twins nodded to each other before walking towards the Earth King.
Before they could get very far, however, they felt rocky hands grabbing them by the collar before they were dragged away. The Earthbending boys found themselves in the hands of the Dai Li, and they were promptly escorted next to Toph and the others.
A few moments later, Aang entered alongside a man in similar robes to the Dai Li whose hair was tied into a long braid that ran down his back. He sat down in front of a green fire, and Sokka demanded "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 squabbles and the day-to-day minutia of military activities" the man replied.
"This could be the most important thing he's ever heard" Aang said.
"What's most important to his royal majesty is maintaining the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se. All his duties relate to issuing decrees on such matters. It's my job to oversee the rest of the city's resources, including the military". Jin and Li exchanged a glance; apparently, even the Earth Kingdom was in the hands of selfish men who only cared for personal power.
"So the King is just a figurehead" Katara surmised.
"He's your puppet!" Toph added a little more emphatically.
"Oh, no, no" the man said, holding up his hands and sounding deeply offended. "His majesty is an icon, a god to his people. He can't sully his hands with the hourly changes of an endless war".
"But we found out about a solar eclipse that will leave the Fire Nation defenseless" Sokka replied. "You could lead an invasion…"
"Enough!" the man cut him off. "I don't want to hear your ridiculous plan. It is the strict policy of Ba Sing Se that the war not be mentioned within the walls. Constant news of an escalating war will throw the citizens of Ba Sing Se into a state of panic. Our economy would be ruined, our peaceful way of life, our traditions, would be disappear. In silencing talk of conflict, Ba Sing Se remains a peaceful, orderly utopia. The last one on earth".
Jin and Li stared at the man in absolute shock. He was completely insane; he had to be.
"You can't keep the truth from all these people" Katara replied. "They have to know".
"I'll tell them" Aang added, taking a step towards the man. "I'll make sure everyone knows".
"Until now, you've been treated as our honoured guest" the man said. "But from now on, you will be watched every moment by Dai Li agents. If you mention the war to anyone, you will be expelled from the city". He then turned around and gazed at the green fire. "I understand you've been looking for your Bison; it would be quite a shame if you were not able to complete your quest. Now Joo Dee will show you home".
The doors then opened, and a woman stepped through. She came to stand in front of the group, but the twins didn't recognize her. "Come with me, please".
"What happened to Joo Dee?" Katara asked.
"I'm Joo Dee" the woman replied. "I'll be your host as long as you're in our wonderful city". She had the same dazzling smile, and the twins took an involuntary step back.
What sort of place had they walked into?
I hate politics.