Chapter 32:
Aang stood before a mirror with shaving cream on his head, he shaved it off over his arrow before he smiled at his reflection. The boy was just wearing his trunks. Sokka stood next to him in shorts and he used his machete to cut off a little stumble that was on his upper lip before he grinned and clicked his tongue, pointing at himself happily in the reflection. Katara connected her hair loops to her bun of her hair and Freya ran a brush through her hair happily.
"Where's Toph?" Katara wondered
"Probably face down in her bed in the dark, looking like a monster as usual." Freya said "She really has trouble being a girl sometimes." she smiled and Katara chuckled before she moved off to wake the girl.
Freya smiled before she moved and walked through the house, getting some food for breakfast and sitting herself down by the window in which the sun was coming through.
As the Dai Li were apparently watching them and they were as such under a sort of house arrest, efforts to reach the king were being put on hold until at least they had Appa back with them, or some lead on where he might be found.
The group was fairly familiar with the upper ring and Katara and Freya had found good shops and supply stores within the middle ring. Today however, no one had any real plans or ideas on what needed to be done.
Freya turned as her name was called through the house and she got up to move towards the girl.
"Yes Katara?" Freya asked. She found the water bender walking towards her from one of the corridors. She was dragging Toph who's hair was spiking up in every direction. She was covered in dust as usual and still in her sleep wear.
"Freya, how about it? A girl's day out!" Katara beamed. Freya looked surprised as she glanced at Toph who looked anything but a girl who'd go to the spa. Though Freya, being the girl she was, had to admit the idea sounded good, she smiled guiltily.
"That sounds wonderful, but there was actually some things I wanted to do today. I came to Ba Sing Se with my parents way back when and I sort of wanted to see if the places were still around. I'd also like to help Aang look for Appa if I can." she explained and Katara frowned "But make sure you have enough fun for me too." she smiled and Katara sighed before doing so.
"Alright." she agreed reluctantly, but she didn't argue with Freya where her past was concerned. The girl had lost everything she had known for one hundred years including her memories until Aang had been found. Though most if not all of her memories had returned of her time with the Avatar she still sometimes felt a little out of place amongst everyone.
Though, being probably the only duo bender ever doesn't help. She muttered to herself as Katara grabbed Toph and demanded her to get dressed and ready before the two girls were the first to leave the house.
Aang left the house next on his glider to find Appa, and Momo didn't even go with him as he slept on in the house.
"Where you going to start?" Freya wondered as he moved to the door.
"Anywhere that houses animals. Maybe someone has heard something." Aang smiled "Now that Joo Dee isn't following us everywhere I might get some answers." he admitted
"Very likely." Freya nodded. "Good luck."
"Thanks Freya." Aang smiled before he moved off out the door and leapt into the air on his glider.
Now left in the house was Freya and Sokka as the girl moved to the door herself, adjusting her water tribe clothes and glancing at the boy. Sokka was moping around the house before Freya sighed and turned to him.
"Sokka, everyone's going out today, why don't you go and find something to do with your day?" she asked "There's a lot of things to do, the city is huge remember." Sokka looked up at her as she moved for the door. She smiled at him and waved before opening the door and moving outside.
Freya got on one of the carts and took it to the middle district where she moved around the city looking for the buildings. She came to a pond where a park surrounded it and a few of the university students sat under trees as people walked through the peacefulness that surrounded this area of the city.
"Dad this place is huge! How did they manage to built such a city?" Freya, about four years old, was running around the park as she watched a few little critters move as she smiled, stopping to stare at a bug that landed on a flower.
"It's earth bending sweetie." he replied "The city was carved out of rocks and started as a small subterranean city." Freya looked at her father amazed.
"How'd it get so big!?"
"There are catacombs under the city Freya." he smiled "Those were mined and used for light in the city as well as a resource and as people continued to arrive to see them the city was excavated and the terrain was widened."
"The walls were built from the stone by earth bending Freya." Azure smiled "It was named Ba Sing Se for Impenetrable City because of it."
"Why are there so many walls inside as well though?" Freya asked confused
"The second wall or inner wall was created in case the outer wall was ever breached and far enough away that the residents would be given plenty of warning to take cover." her father explained
"Take cover where?" Freya asked
"Where ever was necessary."
"But there are walls inside the inner wall?" Freya turned to point at one with her small hand.
"They separate the societies." Azure sighed "Those who are thought to be worth more are better protected at the centre of the city."
Freya looked confused as she looked around before she turned back to her parents and pointed at a wall.
"What's the outer ring like?" Freya wondered.
Her parents shared a look before they smiled.
Freya smiled at the park before she decided to move off towards the lower ring.
The girl walked through the streets and many people smiled and waved at her. She smiled as she looked around.
Everyone's so friendly down here. She noticed a few people down in the darkness of alleyways but moved off past them, ignoring their presence. She didn't need to go drawing attention to herself, not when her sharp limit had been pushed rather easily as of late.
The houses were a lot smaller down here as she'd seen from the cart on their tour the first day they'd arrived. The spaces between them were minimum as little foliage was given and not many trees or nature had room or the opportunity to bloom. However despite that there were some nice shops and squares where people sat and chattered to one another, many people worked at the stores and were mostly cheerful, continuing to wave at her as she passed.
"It's so lively down here." Freya grinned. "Reminds me of home."
"Well without the ice." her father chuckled and the girl giggled.
"Well, it's more of a community than the other levels that's why Freya. People are more accepting now. Which home is." Azure smiled slyly at the two.
"Look!" Freya ran forwards as she saw a bird before something else caught her attention. Her parents smiled and followed her as she ran from store to store and spoke to a shop owner who smiled down at her and patted her head before they moved on.
Eventually Freya came to a market place. The stores were in rows, one after the other and then running parallel to more.
The girl paused when she heard a liuqin and singing sounded with it. She walked until she gapped in surprised. A boy was crying in the middle of the path and a women was crouched beside him as he held a small Earth soldier doll in his hand. Beside him was a rather round man, kneeling, he had a hat on his head which hid his rather bald head and grey hair, his face was round and in a smile as he played the instrument and sang.
"Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, Drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, comes marching home." Freya moved forwards as the crying boys face broke into a smile. He suddenly pulled the old man's beard who yelped before smiling back. The women took her son's hand as he laughed and escorted him away as Iroh got to his feet smiling.
"I didn't know you could sing." Iroh turned and Freya smiled at him.
"Freya." Iroh looked surprised
"You know I didn't expect to find the Dragon of West in the city that kept him out during his siege." Freya smiled, her voice low as Iroh gave her a hug.
"Well the Fire Nation is after us so it was the safest place." Iroh admitted
"Makes sense." she nodded before pausing. "Wait did you say 'us'?" she asked surprised and Iroh nodded.
"But why are you here my dear?" he asked "You're by yourself?"
"Only today." she shrugged "We came to see the Earth King for one, but… that got complicated. And we're looking for Appa because some sand benders stole him a while back…" she sighed "A bit's happened since I last saw you."
"You and me both." Iroh chuckled. "You have to come and visit some time. After all it's probably best if my nephew doesn't know where you're based." he chuckled
"Well we both know that he'll know who's here if he sees me anyway." Freya smiled and he nodded.
"He will be happy to see you though."
"It might be a bit more pleasant being on neutral territory." Freya nodded "Is he still growing his hair out?" Iroh chuckled
"The customers think it looks nice."
"Customers? You're working in a shop? That'll be pleasant." she chuckled and Iroh joined her. Freya then noticed that the man had a basket on his back.
"You're having a picnic?" she asked before looking around "By yourself?"
"Today is a special occasion. And being within the city I have the opportunity to celebrate it closely." Freya looked at the man as he smiled, but was smiling sadly. She smiled back as she understood.
"Well I'm sure Lu Ten will love a visit from you." Freya smiled and Iroh smiled back.
"Thank you Freya." Freya bowed to the man, her fist to her flat hand in the traditional Fire Nation way and Iroh returned it.
"Tell him I say hi."
"I will."
Freya moved through the streets of the lower ring with a small skip in her step as she smiled and hummed the song Iroh had sung. As much as she'd have like to comfort the man and accompany him, she felt he'd rather spend the day celebrating by himself. Otherwise, why was Zuko not with him?
The girl paused as she looked around the streets.
They're working in a tea shop. Iroh's doing obviously. Freya smiled.
She paused however as a dragon fly suddenly zipped past her. She heard screams and yells and moved until she came to a street were there were monkey's smashing pots and tormenting shop keepers. Dragon flies were hovering over people's heads and pulling on their hairs.
Aang suddenly came jumping down in front of the girl and blew the dragon flies off of the civilians with a swipe of his staff.
"This was so much easier in my head!" he said as he scratched his head.
"What are you doing?" Aang turned to see Freya and beamed
"Freya!" he hugged her and she raised an eyebrow at him "I'm helping out a zookeeper."
"By letting his animals out?" she asked.
"By getting them to the wall so they can have a bigger pen." he said pointing at it.
"So you let them run wild." she nodded as she looked around
"Yeah… that was unexpected. I need something to attract them, to lead them with." Aang muttered
"Well… did you try Appa's bison whistle?" Freya wondered and Aang looked at her grinning.
"Freya you're a genius!" she shrugged and the boy pulled out the whistle. He flicked it up into the air before air rushed towards him as he took a giant breath in and caught the whistle.
Freya heard a ringing in her ears as the boy blew into the whistle and he created his air scooter to shoot off towards the wall as the animals began to run at him.
"Thanks Freya, see you later!" he shouted back at her and she waved before sighing and shaking her head, chuckling to herself.
"I hope no one else is getting into as much trouble."