Yin and Yang.

There are many things in the world that exist in duality. What can be obviously opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and even interdependent in the natural world. Humans, are no exception.

...

Many renown professors and scholars have gathered together in Xuan Zang's office. The goal, to review every essay the Keju have produced. Anyone who passed is called Jinshi, a prestigious title granted to a graduate.

But there are hundreds of pages being thoroughly examined. To choose any one of them meant the essay must exhibit worldly knowledge that far surpassed the normal standards. The hardest part is picking who they should pass and who they should fail. The rule is that they can only know the identity of the writers after they have selected the essays. They did this every three years, and each time it wasn't easy. Many students worked their whole lives just to get a chance in partaking the exam, many even bet livelihoods on this.

But all the scholars and teachers here understand they must indiscriminately judge each essay regardless of the writer's background. Xuan Zang waited patiently as all the teachers systematically arranged the written pieces. A whole mountain pile of worthless parchments are placed on the far side of the room, and the selected minority are put on the round table in front of him.

After a huge round of discussion over which essays are the best, which took them hours, they finally decided on those who passed. There were only about a dozen of them who qualified. After all, the success rate is one in every hundred at best. But it's the top three that are the hardest to decide.

The head of astrology, Shi Shen, held up a parchment. "I suppose I speak for all that this young man should be the third place Tanhua." But instead of bearing excitement, there was clearly a hint of disgust and disappointment in his voice. Everyone can see his fingers grasping the paper, almost tearing into it.

Instead of congratulating the third place holder, which is already a great accomplishment in the hardest examination in the world, Shi Shen was bitter.

Because of all the people that got into top three, it has to him!?

Fellow professors and intellectuals surrounded Shi Shen, examining the essay word to word. There is no use, the essay was a masterpiece. It demonstrated an astounding knowledge to traditional texts and classics. The writer clearly is talented, which is why all the professors and leading scholars here can't fault this examinee. Some have suggested that the essay might have been faked, but that wouldn't work. Even if they wanted to fail him so badly, without evidence none of it matters.

"Sigh, that man." An elderly professor professor expired his breath. He placed his hand on the forehead, massaging it to quell the rising frustration. "I thought he is too busying indulging, who would have thought he have quite the luck."

"He is indulging, both excessively and shamelessly," a water-tribe professor snorted. "Yet, unfortunately despite his spoiled and rotten nature, we can't do anything until he has violated the law."

Another professor in the room scoffed. "Hopefully that brat gets caught. After he becomes an official, it's only a matter of time that the badgermole comes out of its hiding."

The person they are talking about is Ximen Qing, the young heir to the most powerful Earth Kingdom clan in Ba Sing Se's upper ring. Since this city is the most 'prestigious' settlement on the continent, the Ximen household is also considered the most influential second only to the Beifongs.

Ximen Qing's reputation has never sat well with the people. As a powerful young man, he have many pursuits of vanity.

Like all spoiled children of wealthy families, that boy dressed in the finest clothing, enjoy lavish food. Of course, he also have a rather prodigious appetite for women. It's often common to see him be in the company of multiple 'assistants'. And it's no secret that he is a known womanizer. But there is something more eye churning. His father, a general of Ba Sing Se's army, actually allowed this type of behavior. While it is true that some wealthy men might take multiple wives and concubines, Ximen Qing displayed a disgusting code of conduct in the eyes of everyone. He ruined countless relationships, even went as far as pursuing married women...

To simply convey the message to those who still haven't caught on, Ximen Qing is not a great candidate to serve as a government official. His pride and greed will ruin many lives before he can be rightfully arrested by the enforcers. But the whole point of the Keju examination is to select the most capable individuals, having someone like him even passing the exam is a huge upset. It is a mockery to the meritocratic nature of the examination.

Knowing this, the present professors are unsurprisingly baffled as to how an a spoiled indulgent like Ximen Qing even make it to the top. They are angered, but powerless.

"We have certainly underestimated him." Shi Shen sighed in defeat, then rolled up the parchment before he threw it in the fire. He was met with the groaning sound of everyone. "Can't we just swap him for someone else?"

His question was met with silence. The Keju was meant to be a legal framework where all participants regardless of their background can have a chance to become government officials. In the past Earth Kingdom dynasties, people are enamored by inspiring stories about peasants working diligently to obtained a high score in the exam. They would become the Kingdom's most useful servants, facilitating innovative reforms and economic development. But the sad truth is that even in a meritocratic system like this one, where all things are meant to be fair, it is still possible for some spoiled child to win.

Xuan Zang meanwhile, observed silently as they chose another parchment. This time, it was written by lady Te Gaogui, the woman whose intelligence is on par with her astounding beauty. Her essay centers around the 'expectations of the those in power'. Referencing strongly to traditional governing values and philosophies, she emphasized how the more one receives, the more one must give back. The role of those in power must never fail to adhere to the expectations from those below you, or else those expectations will soar. Those in power must demonstrate an acceptable amount of authority over the masses without abusing the power given.

Lady Te is known to have a rather unusual personality. She is no different to many other heir to wealthy families, always being elegant and demonstrates authority over those below her. But many felt she is more restrained, never belittle others without reason. While her beauty is sought after by many wealthy suitors, that woman is very difficult to read. And sometimes, dangerous also.

The mood in the room became less gloomy as they moved on to the second place holder. Forget about that Ximen Qing. It is no secret that Te Gaogui is a hardworking and talented individual. But Earth Kingdom's traditional culture often meant women don't have the same educational opportunities. Even wealthy ladies are expected to be married off to foster ties with another influential household or establish political ties. Seeing Te Gaogui reaching the second place is simply admirable. All the examiners knew she is a highly favorable person, who will contribute tremendously.

Unlike that Ximen Qing.

"Hold it!" someone in the room raised up his hand. "We are placing the esteemed Lady Te as second place? Her essay demonstrated the greatest knowledge in the past twenty years! I thought we agreed to have her be the first place holder Zhuangyun?"

"We were," Shi Shen stroked his beard. Whenever smart people did this, it's always to cope during their deep thoughts. Then, the Northern Water tribesman held up a new parchment. Despite being a foreigner, even this curator of Elephant Koi understood the implications of Te Gaogui being bested. Before the examination, the noble lady is already expected by many to reach first place. But this next contender completely outshined the flower of the Te family.

"Hmm, what a surprise," A professor noted. "Te Gaogui of the Te clan is expected to be the smartest youngster in the city. Who would have thought she would..."

"Be surpassed by a commoner from the agrarian zone?" Shi Shen blurted without considering the feelings of everyone here. Most people in the room of course worked vigorously to become renown scholars and teachers. But the title of Zhuangyun is far above their league. Having someone from more disadvantaged origin earning such prestigious title puts them all at shame. "Remember, anyone can be a Zhuangyun if they work hard enough. But I found this writer's eight legged essay to be rather problematic. There is nothing wrong with his astounding understanding of the ancient texts. But the content may not be to the liking of everyone."

Xuan Zang came over to examine the written piece that intrigued all the scholars and professors. He himself is more specialized in Air Nomad philosophy, but that doesn't mean he is naive about traditional Earth Kingdom culture.

During the ancient Spring and Winter period thousands of years ago, the continent was marked by endless wars and brutal conflicts. As powerful states battled each other with armies that literally makes the ground quake with bending, there are also many schools of thoughts created to define nation building, governance and military strategy. It is said that there were as many as a hundred, but only few enjoyed prominent status as kings and emperors adapted them into the jurisdiction. To this day, those philosophies and doctrines still lived on. Scholars today referenced these ancient philosophies that formed the foundation of their people.

The most highly acclaimed and treasured, respected by all people, Kings and peasants alike, is the philosophy known as Rujia.

An old Earth Kingdom proverb would say: Family is in essence a small nation, and the nation a large family.

It is an idea, a tradition, a way of life, a way to governing. It has a humanistic approach to all things, and forms the many cultural values such as the emphasis on the family structure.

For society, it believes human beings are fundamentally good, and teachable. They are improvable and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor, especially self-cultivation and self-creation. The people, regardless of status, must act with virtue and respect. Even for those at the very bottom, there is still simple honor.

For ruling a nation, it believes that the ruler and the ruled must work together to achieve social harmony. Rulers must be wise, they must adhere to fairness and compassion. But most importantly, they must be benevolent to the masses. The people in return must demonstrate loyalty, and obedience to facilitates peace. However, should the ruler be incompetent or cruel, they have lost the mandate, angering the Spirits. Only then can the people overthrow the ruler and begin a new dynasty.

It has impacted many parts of the world, including the Fire Nation. The Earth Sages were once great defenders and promoters of this philosophy, sadly, there are few left today who have still have the integrity.

For generations, the values of Rujia is the predominant philosophy that governs the Earth Kingdom. But one thing stood in the path. One enemy that challenges the ideology favored by all. While Rujia believes that humans are by nature good, there were those who lampooned such pathetic idea. They proposed that humans are by nature evil, selfish and deceitful. Human behavior must be regulated by strict and excessive laws. Like wild animals untamed in the illusion of civilization, humans must be locked into a cage so that their sinful urges can never be acted out.

Fajia.

It is a legalistic and realist philosophy, both being controversial and a cruel way of thinking. It believes that the state's survival exceeds the well-being of the people. Since humans cannot be trusted, the ruler must dictate his Kingdom with an iron fist to ensure the rule of law is upheld. The emphasis is placed on reward and punishment. Any criminal must be trialed in accordance to the law, even if that criminal is your blood ties relative. Loyalty to the state is absolute, all to maintain the the country's strength and efficiency.

But perhaps the most cynical of all, Chin the Conqueror himself openly endorsed such philosophy and incorporated it into the lands he conquered. The tyrant even did everything to suppress the harmonious Rujia; burning books, erasing scrolls and even burying the Ru scholars alive. Many scholars and earth sages today detest it to the bitter core.

Yet, despite the tyrannical nature of Fajia, it is a rather meritocratic system. During an age where feudal lords inherit official positions from their fathers, peasants can be given promotions if they qualify.

After all, the Keju itself also shares the same aspiration of drawing most talented individuals to civil service. Since the fall of Chin, Fajia have taken a backseat, but it is never truly gone. Some lesser known philosophers today are proponents of Fajia, believing that an efficient centralized state is what the now fractured Earth Kingdom needed.

"Absolutely not!" someone shouted. "How can we allow someone who is infatuated with tyranny to become a Zhuangyun?" All the present examiners raised the murmuring, fiercely debating whether they should even allow this problematic man to be the first place holder.

"There were never rules about what essay content was forbidden, even if Fajia is a shunned school of thought," Xuan Zang spoke up like the calm monk he is. He is able to restore some calm back into the room, after all, everyone must be reminded of the Keju's purpose. "This examination is to search for talented individuals so that they may serve the people's best interests. The only prerequisite is for the student to demonstrate their knowledge about texts and classics, the rules never said anything about what philosophy is specifically being assessed...or what type of people they are." He is clearly referencing the fact how Ximen Qing has a tendency to womanize, yet somehow that man managed to crawl to third place. But when comparing someone with this disgusting quirk to a man who is most likely an authoritarian, the latter is definitely much more concerning.

"I know what everyone is thinking," Xuan Zang said to the many attendees who is discontent with the Zhungyun's identity. "Many of you here are renown scholars and teachers the Earth Kingdom has to offer, but as the leading members of Ba Sing Se university, we must consider the future generations of scholars. Should we allow this very talented but possibly authoritarian man to become a Zhungyun, or should we tear off his wings right here?"

Shi Shen held up a piece of parchment, this one belongs to the writer in question. The piece written is about the frailty of human morality, and how strict authority power is necessary to ensure the people's wellbeing. The writer of this eight legged essay propose that the ruler must not folly themselves with kindness to subjects. When a law is made, the ruler must abide to it just like the people.

When an enlightened ruler controls his ministers, he makes it so that ministers cannot get credit for achievements gained by overstepping the bounds of their offices or make proposals and then fail to match them with actual achievements. If a ruler can get rid of private crookedness and promote the public law, his people will become secure, and his state will become well ordered.

Unlike Rujia, Fajia believes the opposite. It values loyalty, submission to the excessive laws formulated to empower the state. Instead of governing the nation using compassion and kindness, a more legalistic approach is more pragmatic in running the nation. Rules and laws are in place so that humans, who are believed to be naturally evil, can function properly while benefiting the state.

Human nature are not to be trusted, it is simply too dangerous without accountability. Which is why Fajia promotes strict and excessive laws to regulate and suppress the flaws of humans. To ensure that like the wild animals, they can be kept in check so that no one else is hurt. It also emphasized a realist project of consolidating the wealth and power of the state and its autocrat, with the goal of achieving order, security and stability. As crude and unapologetic as it sounds, no one in the room dare to refute it. There is a reason why no matter how much the corrupt and bureaucratic like Earth Sages tries to destroy this tyrannical ideology, Fajia always comes back to haunt them all. Chin the Conqueror may have been killed, but the philosophy that helped him created an empire never left this world. Deep down, many people would gladly trade their freedom for a state that is powerful and tyrannical. Sadly, the sons of Avatar Kyoshi are...

"There is no denying, this lad did his homework," the Water Tribesman remarked. "This essay feels like it was written by the same writer who created the whole damn thing. I got to say, this kid is pretty good." If a man from the Northern Water Tribe recognizes the skills and significant knowledge displayed by the writer, then how can the remaining Earth Kingdom scholars argue against the giant mountain overlooking them?

Seeing how the silence in the room is signally the hesitant approval, Xuan Zang concluded this meeting. The Zhuangyun of this year's Keju has been chosen.

"Well then, I guess that is decided." He said with a chuckling smile, which had a dull reception from everyone in the room. Air monks were known to have quite the sense of humor, which not many Earth Kingdom residents find amusing about. Understandably, the judges here have reviewed hundreds of exam papers without break. After days of being confined here, all they wanted is rest. "I suppose now would be a great time to prepare for the graduation ceremony for all those who have succeeded, don't you think?"

The astrologist Shi Shen nodded. "Lady Te Gaogui's father will certainly be there at the ceremony. I don't think he would be pleased to hear that we didn't made her the first place holder." No matter how much one would argue, there is a huge gap between the highly acclaimed title Zhungyun and the second place holder. The difference is night and day, and the head of the Te family will most likely nag those that dare rob his daughter's victory. In fact, most people don't even know what the title for second place even is.

"W-We better not stay too close to the Te family, just to be safe," the Water Tribesman suggested for the sake of everyone. Everyone else agreed too. The graduating ceremony for the few Keju examinees is a grand event. Held inside Ba Sing Se's royal palace, it will be attended by many elites and high ranking officials. This year, they have found some very interesting candidates for the top three spots. The competitive and ruthless examination have only got about a dozen candidates, or Jinshi, who have passed the exam and graduated.

Third place, titled Tanhua, is the promiscuous Ximen Qing. The son of a Ba Sing Se general and heir to the Ximen family. Being a wealthy and spoiled heir who have a penchant for women, it was an unexpected and terrible surprise that he even passed, let alone belonging in the top three. Hopefully he can stop his disgusting behaviors from interfering with the city's administration. Like an ugly weed, hopefully he won't stay forever.

Second place, known as Bangyan, is the noble Lady Te Gaogui. A sharp woman with elegance and intelligence superior to every other in the city. In the garden full of beautiful flowers, she outshines them all.

First place, the Zhungyun, the most important one. A talent individual, a rare find through the rubbles of earth. His essay repulses the presenting reviewers, but none can deny how good his writing is. If they deny this individual, they are essentially throwing away a mountain of gold into the mud.

This year's graduation ceremony would certainly be interesting...

...

Satchiko steadied herself onto a tall earth platform. The examiner wanted her to get to the other side over a wide gap. The goal is to demonstrate an Earth bender's ability to traverse across difficult terrain such as mountainous regions. In this scenario, the training ground mimics a river, and the practical exam will certainly feature this environment. If she can't get it here, she will definitely fail the real thing.

She saw how everyone else is protruding a slab of earth from the ground to form bridges, easily going to the other side. Each time a student crosses over, the instructor would destroy the bridge to allow the next person demonstrate their bending.

As all the students were successful in their endeavors, only one last student remain on the starting side. Herself.

To be completely honest, she knew it is inevitable. Seeing how others created large earth bridges and crossed over, her feeble bending cannot replicate the same. For the last few days, she has been 'experimenting' with bending by trying to lift larger boulders and move discs without touching them. She can never understand Hudie's viewpoint. After countless failed attempts, it seems that the Kyoshi warrior can never go past the limit of bending pebbles.

"Wait," Satchiko raised her arm at the instructor, who is sitting nearby bench. "You said that I must reach the other side, but you never said that I have to build an earth bridge, right?"

The instructor scratched her head. "Um...yes, technically. But I don't see how you can do anything else. Don't tell me that you plan to launch yourself to the other side."

Quelling such concerns, Satchiko did not plan to do anything so reckless. Because she can't. She wanted to go over that pit of water with the bare minimum use of bending. The whole training ground is just like a large pit by itself, and surrounding walls might be used to her advantage.

"Look, I think she going to do something stupid again," a student covered his mouth to suppress the gleeful expression. Satchiko ignored him, and went over to the wall section that touches the river. She smoothed her hands across the rocky surface, and tries to bend the wall out.

"What's wrong with her, it's not even that hard. All she needed to do is make a bridge over the water!" Another decired. Like many students, they are beginning to notice how appalling her skill is. Spending time with the Kyoshi warrior gave them the clear impression that Satchiko is neither invested into her classroom studies or the earth bending. Without exaggeration, she is lowest in terms of performance.

Everyone watch with intrigue as Satchiko stepped her foot on a tiny rocky edge on the wall. She cling herself to whatever area that have a rugged surface, clawing her hands onto anything. It was painful, her fingers hurt tremendously. But this is the only thing she thinks about. By attaching herself to the side wall, she hope she can just climb her way over the large pit of water. She remembered the days when she climbed trees, using her agility to leap from one branch to another. But the wall doesn't offer much rough surface she can work with.

"Is that even allowed?" A student asked. They interpreted the silence from the instructor as a sign that Satchiko's action didn't violate anything. She took a route that is only available for her. As a person who couldn't earth bend like normal people, she can only rely on her warrior trainings. Which doesn't hold up much that well here.

Satchiko felt her hands are losing strength. The distance she must cover is about thirty meters across the river, but her arm can't support her weight like this. One by one, her fingers slipped and her foot lost control. She fell backwards, head diving straight into the water.

A loud plummeting sound was heard. All students and the instructor rushed over to the edge, looking for the brown haired idiot who couldn't earth bend.

Satchiko swam to the surface, gasping for air. She swung her head around, trying to look for something. "Where's the ladder?" She searched. The pit of water is meant to mimic a real river, but how do people get back up?

"There are no ladders," the instructor revealed dryly. She used her bending to sculpted out some stairs so that Satchiko can climb out. "You are the first one to fell into the pit. How does it feel?"

"Um, I guess I feel honored?" Satchiko answered. She hustled herself up the stairs, puffing once reaching the top. She endured the mockery and laughter, pretending that they are not there just like she is trying hide the face of that little girl as far back possible.

...

Her back aches as she stepped on the front porch of Grandma Jin's eatery. She can feel every fiber in her muscles crying out in pain as she is recovering from the lesson. The instructor made her carry boulders around the training grounds. The notion is to help Satchiko be more 'connected' with the substance.

She snorted at such idea, believing it to be delusional. Although she was fine with Hudie suggesting the same.

Her body were never that accustomed to lifting heavy objects. For a Kyoshi warrior is swift and agile, and earth bending is slow and stubborn. How can she do both without destroying her muscles?

Loud clattering of wine cups and guffawing laughter filled her ears the moment she pushed through those doors. It's the same scene, people eating and drinking without much care. The heavy smell of meat dumplings and roasted meat permeated her nose, to not drool at the sight of food is hard for her. But she is not here for that, whenever she felt tremendous pressure from her studies, she would always come here at a time when Mayumi is ending her shift. Just simply talking with the older sister is enough to quell some uneasiness.

"Hey, Xiao Qing." Satchiko greeted a young waitress and took a seat on an empty bar chair. The waitress turned to the Kyoshi warrior, with a rather annoyed look on her face. "Is Mayumi here? I want to talk with her. Oh, give me some water please."

Xiao Qing rolled her eyes, uninterested in the obsession. "She is in the back kitchen."

The Kyoshi warrior stood up, preparing to march right into the blazing hot room.

"What are you doing?" Xiao Qing snarled. The waitress pushed the Kyoshi's warrior's shoulder until she is forced back to the seat.

"J-Just going to see my sister? What's wrong?" Satchiko answered. She has seen Xiao Qing here before, but this is the first time the moody waitress overtook all the attention.

"The kitchen is for the staff only," Xiao Qing warned. Even though she is only a waitress, Satchiko cannot help but be intimidated. Herself, a warrior who have trained all her life, is be threatened by a mere waitress?

"I forgot," Satchiko replied, trying not to back down. She stared right back at Xiao Qing. "Can you get your hands off me now?"

Xiao Qing reluctantly let go, crossing her arms while still carrying her mean demeanor. Unlike the other waitresses, this young woman's sharp features emits the aura of killing intent, unfounded on someone in menial professions. "Heh, sisters," she muttered. "You know, aren't you visiting Mayumi a bit too much? It's annoying that I have to see you almost everyday. Why can't you just stay in the middle ring, where things are more comfortable than the slums here."

"What are do you mean?" Satchiko demanded. All she wanted to do was meet up with Mayumi, why is Xiao Qing so agitated about their sisterhood? "You have a problem with me and Mayumi?"

"No, I have a problem with you only." Xiao Qing hissed. "You were just like me, being that obedient and helpless little sibling all at the mercy of the older one. You seek your elder for advice and comfort. But little did you know, that you are building yourself up to experience great sadness and betrayal. One day, the person you trust the most will forsaken you. All that love and trust will turn back, stepping on every emotional attachment you have."

Satchiko balled her hands. Who is this woman that dare to insinuate things that does not exist? "You want a fight? I will give you one."

"Nope," Xiao Qing answered without much interest. "I am simply stating the truth based on personal experiences. And I saw my younger self in you. Foolish little girl, you devote so much love into your sister, yet never think for yourself." She got up and headed for the kitchen, but before then, she turned back and said one last thing. "Besides, I am not interested in fighting someone as weak as you are."

Weak? Satchiko cannot believe those words. She may not strong. But for a non-bender standard, she is far higher than the average fighter. Xiao Qing isn't a bender, which is why the warrior can easily best the waitress in a fight.

But when the Kyoshi warrior thought about it, Xiao Qing isn't exactly wrong. There are unreconcilable mistakes the Kyoshi warrior have made. It is impossible to undo them.

The eatery's doors swung opened, and in came some men wearing full cord and plaque. The chattering noise of other customers instantly dialed down as they marched right into the establishment. Sounds of the metal suit are produced with every step they took. The Kyoshi warrior remained silent, one of them took a seat next to her and ordered a drink.

"One Baijiu wine," he commanded in a coarse voice. Once a waitress placed a small glass cup on the table, the Bingmayong warrior immediately devoured the beverage. It's likely the alcohol has very high potency, the man besides her is attempting to numb his sorrows from the battlefield.

She secretly shifted her eyes, glancing at the battle hardened soldier. Breath is halted to minimize her presence as much as possible, but she can still feel her stealthy move is not impervious. His armor looked a bit damaged, most likely from a recent battle. These men operating under the Judge are known to frequently venture out the walls, searching for dens of outlaws. There are scratches and blunted areas of this man's outfit. And if she looked closely, she can just saw the dried blood on his helmet's forehead.

Without much warning, the warrior turned his face at her. Did he spotted her? She quickly retracted her eyes back to facing front. Gulping her throat, her face felt scanned by the stoic soldier.

Her relief came when the soldier left the seat. Him, along with a few others went through the back exit of the eatery, seemingly going to the back. People sighed gladly, and returned to whatever leisure they were participating. The game of Pai Sho was resumed. And some arguments broke out whether or not someone have cheated during their card game.

"Thank goodness they are gone," one soldier near her sighed. He dosed himself with another bottle, and took a bite out of a meat shumai.

"Yeah, they look very scary, I don't want to mess with them," Satchiko remarked. She can sense a certain fear from the other troops, who tend to stay away from these Ji wielding warriors. They lowered their own presence the moment these men came. Mayumi also specifically warned her to not talk or even look at a Bingmayong, she definitely failed that one. "I saw them fought the White Sparrow bandits outside the walls. I know those outlaws are bad people, but I do feel bad for them."

"Don't be," The easy going soldier said. "Those bandits had it coming. Trust me when I said this, at least those cutthroats outside the walls died a quick death. The people that you should pity are good for nothing brigands captured by the Bingmayong guys. Heh, I guess Judge Bao is going to deliver some very heavy sentences. Out there, it's the Judge of Honghai. But in here, it's that dark skinned fellow with a moon on his forehead." He took a massive sip of wine, hoping to drown himself in it. To her, it's never good to drink heavily. People in her village only drink sake on special occasions. Being intoxicated too often is never a productive act.

Her eyes shifted to the backdoor. That exit is how people access the area behind the restaurant.

She followed them.

...

A few armed men stood at the foot of the massive statue. They looked up, paying respect to its grandeur. The identity the stone figure portrayed is completely unknown to her. Her first thought is that he is some sort of hero or military general from the past. Wielding a massive guandao also made of stone, the statue has cord and plaque armor designs.

She concealed herself inside a bush, and from a distance, she can hear them muttering something to each other.

Those men removed their helmets, kneeled to the ground, and rested their pole arms on their shoulders. Even underneath those face concealing helmets, it's clear they are demonstrating reverence to the figure. Their faces looked just like ordinary people, just plain looking men with topknot hair.

"Let's leave, I hope you pathetic newcomers can learn a thing or two from him," the leading Bingmayong muttered. Most likely the head of this little contingent, he put on his helm and lead them all back. After they are gone, Satchiko jumped out of hiding and arrived at the foot of the statue. Reading the stone carvings, she tried to make out what the characters meant. Unfortunately, the words are too complex for her to understand. A major problem she has found as a student is how the written script is much different to what accustomed to Kyoshi island. Unlike her father, she doesn't know how to interpret the written words of mainland Earth Kingdom.

The face of the statue is now more visible. Unlike regular soldiers, the eyes are covered with a rectangular piece of glass. It's the only area that doesn't fit with the rest.

Judging by the actions of those soldiers, they seems to be honoring whoever the stone warrior is depicting. Being an Avatar devotee herself, she is not clueless. Her order certainly values spiritually with the founder, no matter through their trainings or their daily life, Kyoshi has always remained a prominent aspect of all things. Her own humble wooden statues placed in every village is a constant reminder and inspiration of something greater, something Avatar Kyoshi represents and what she aspire others to do. The same could be applied at this moment as well. The prominent stone statue, towering over houses and towers, definitely have a special place in the hearts of soldiers. He must be an ancient hero, or maybe an Earth Avatar from the distant past. Whoever he is, only the most heroic deeds can spur the statue's construction. Now that she thought about it, Grandma Jin's restaurant couldn't have been built on a better location.

The door from the eatery opened up again, this time a customer walked out and sat on broken bench. He held a bowl of noodle, slurping loudly through the gap of his Lion turtle helmet. He believes that here, there is a absence of others, so food can be enjoyed without judging eyes.

She counted it, it only took him less than one minute to finish the whole bowl. He rested the chopsticks after pouring the soup into his helmet, ignoring the liquid's heat. She has met him before on the walls of Ba Sing Se, this time, she doesn't have any face paint.

"So, you are here to look at the statue as well?" The Judge of Honghai asked, finally noticing someone besides himself. The general also looked at stone figure, but he does not bow to it. He then looked at her, with eyes are not visible through the pitch dark holes of his helmet. None of his face is visible, and part of her doubt whether or not he is actually a human. "I thought only soldiers came here to pray to that piece of rock."

"Who is this person?" Satchiko inquired about the statue, withholding the information that she is a Kyoshi warrior. Without her armor, her green kimono alone shouldn't attract suspicion.

The Judge of Honghai raised his head to the statue. "Some person from the past," he plainly replied. "They built a statue of him, soldiers would sometimes came here to feel inspired, enlightened and even bolstered before battle. Here in the Earth Kingdom, anyone can be immortalized when they have accomplished tremendous feat. Avatars, folk heroes, military commanders and even spirits. This place, this garden dedicated to the statue was built more recently actually. Grandma Jin have great insight. Building her restaurant here to capitalize the troop's infatuation with their role model certainly brings plenty coins." He looked at Satchiko. "Do you Kyoshi warriors do the same to Avatar Kyoshi? Please, do enlighten me on that. I never traveled to that part of the world."

She stared at him, hands wanting to reach for her lone war fan hidden beneath her dress. "How d-"

"Your eye color," the general responded in swift fashion. "But that is not important."

Satchiko swallowed her throat. Perhaps there is a reason why Liu called this man the greatest general in all of Earth Kingdom. But because he is also an artist, his attention to detail must also be a trait that has carried over, a very dangerous one if used against her. "Well, my sisters and I believes that the spirit of Kyoshi watches over us," she said candidly. "We dedicate our lives and minds to our island's founder, even mimicking the fighting styles and outfits." Saying these things are dangerous, for Mayumi specifically warned her to keep a low profile. But if the Judge already received news of their wanted posters, this place would have been swarming with Bingmayong ready to arrest her. But since she is still standing here, this meant he doesn't know of their 'criminal status'...yet.

"Does she?" The judge questioned with his unhuman voice. "I suppose you are a great devotee to the Earth Avatar."

"Well, I don't know." Satchiko's words made the judge shift his shoulders. "I mean, I am a great fighter. I protect my home from threats coming from the outside. Yet..." she doesn't know if she should be revealing this, seeing how her Earth bending is so appalling. "I feel so inadequate, so weak and powerless. I have failed to accomplish something in a town, and I lost someone whose name I don't even know. Her life was taken by a bender...and I couldn't stop him." Her mouth frowned, she is now forced to remember every detail of that day, the cries of innocents, the blood spilled, it was too much for her.

"You are a non-bender, you did everything in your power to save your friend's life. I saw how you fought outside the walls young one. Even without bending, you try to stretch your potential by going up against people naturally stronger. You did your best."

"No, you are wrong," she made the judge tilted his helmet. Since his face is concealed, he can only express his confusion like this.

Satchiko pulled a small pebble from the ground, levitating it mid air. "You see? This is who I am, an Earth bender."

She waited for his response. The Judge of Honghai was speechless, but to be honest, he is mostly like that.

"A small bird who is afraid to expand its wings, interesting." He stood up, arriving next to her. "This is what you are trying to say isn't it? You have such powers, yet you don't use it. You don't use it, because you don't know how to use it."

Satchiko affirmed. "Yes, I never have a teacher." She shot that pebble into the bush, the projectile's flight was flimsy, definitely couldn't harm a fly. It would be more convenient to just throw a knife at her foes. "But it's my fault too. I neglected my gift, and I have paid for it dearly. I could have been a stronger person and saved more lives. When I was in the town of Shang, a group of bandits who called themselves the Acolytes of San Bao attacked. A lot of people died, and I can't do anything to help, I can't even save one person."

"How old are you?" The Judge inquired.

"Seventeen."

"Ah, the feeling of being powerless during one's youth, I know exactly what that was like." The Judge of Honghai walked to the statue's base, placing his palm on its feet. "The weight of other people's lives dancing in your hands is a harrowing way to live. When your actions and words have the power of life and death over others, your mind will either exist in blissful acceptance, or suppressed insanity."

"What do you mean?" Satchiko asked. What is the Judge of Honghai insinuating?

"It means that the loss of life as a result of your own actions will certainly trouble you for the days to come. You will lay in bed, thinking, obsessing and reimagining what you could have done differently. A military commander would often issue commands for his troops to charge or hold a position. Every time a decree like that is passed, countless will die. They are like Pai Sho pieces, sacrificed for a goal they will not see. Here on the mainland, there is an old Earth Kingdom proverb. Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons, and they will follow you into the deepest valley. A commander with virtue treats soldiers like sons, imbuing morale into the unit. Yet, how many people ask what the commander is thinking when he did that? If you lost your family members on every battle, would you not want to take your own life as well?"

Something inside the metal encased man wavered and caved in to what he said. He slowly slumped a bit on the bench like an exhausted man. Despite the angry expression of his metal face, she knew something is wrong. What he asked was a very direct question about how your actions affect others. Being the daughter of two important figures of her village, she knew leadership is vital for the island's development. Akahana, the matron of the local Kyoshi warriors chapter always ensures no casualty is suffered on her side. Her mother never have to grieve for fallen warriors, at least not to Satchiko's knowledge.

But the Judge may not be lucky. No matter how elite or frightening an army is, every battle will surely result in someone dying. His soldiers, the elite Bingmayong are known for frequent engagements with daofei outside the walls. Just a few days ago she received news they raided an abandoned stronghold seafaring pirates from the North. They definitely lost many members since their inception. If she felt guilty about not being able to save that nameless orphan girl, than being responsible for the deaths of more people is something she don't want to entertain.

"There are too much blood on my hands already. When you very think about it, sending your soldiers into combat is not too different from actually killing them, even if my warriors do so willingly." His tone softened, but still tried to maintain that unreadable and mechanical demeanor. The voice of a tired man mimics someone who have the pain, suffering, fear and horror of a thousand lifetime shoved down his throat. "This statue has an important message for all those who pray to it. That is to never give up, even if your obstacles are as insurmountable as a mountain." The Judge expired some air, like an old man dispensing wisdom to a fool. "Soldiers are not the only ones who came here to be enlightened. This person is revered by many across the Earth Kingdom for doing something which is deemed impossible. He represents how a person can overcome the presenting challenge no matter how impossible it seems. Which is why people, especially soldiers, wish to edify themselves before this man."

She watched as he stared at the ground. For a long time, she waited for him to continue, but didn't dare to raise her voice after a whole minute of deafening silence. He is pondering underneath all that layer of metal, she presumed.

"What am I even doing?" He slowly said, realizing his procrastination. "I should be answering your question, not waste my time talking with myself."

"It's ok. Well, you haven't even answered what nickname those air people gave you."

"Right," the judge admitted. "But that will have to wait for another day, if you are ready." He arrived underneath a tree, its leaves shake as a gentle wind picked up. She watched as one small green leaf gently glided to the ground.

The delicate piece of organic leaflet is full-filling its destiny of reaching the soil. But the Judge of Honghai have other plans, he reached out his armored left arm and grabbed it.

He caught it.

Grasping it into a grip, he eyed the leaflet, almost mesmerized by it. "Before I tell you. Answer me, as a devotee to the revered Avatar Kyoshi, what can you tell me about Avatars, oh young Kyoshi warrior." The Judge inquired.

"They are good people, and heroes to everyone." Satchiko started. "But they are also the only person that can bend four elements, only one can exist at a time. Avatars stand up against evil, they serve the people and protect the world. Only by the Avatar's guidance, can the peace and balance of the world be maintained."

The Judge nodded again. "Then, what do you think about the current one?"

"What current one?" She asked with confusion. For all she knows, the current reincarnation of Kyoshi haven't been found yet, and they are probably still searching. Based the stories and disciplines passed down from Akahana, an Avatar always rebirths into a different place according to a certain cycle. This time, it's an earth Avatar. No news about the chosen person have reached Kyoshi island. Although to be fair, not much of the outside world permeates into her homelands at all.

The Judge lamented. "So, you don't know. And here I thought only those barbarians in the most remote parts of the Si Wong deserts are clueless."

She wanted to tell him that she isn't completely oblivious. Based the fierce slander and rants from the Kheshig nomads, she discovered a few details about the last Avatar. Details that for some reason, her parents never spoke about. The last Avatar is from the Southern Water-Tribe, a land made entirely out of ice where winter is eternal. There, a woman named Korra is given the powers of Avatar from birth. The so called 'lapdogs', also known as the White Lotus, were tasked to protect and train Korra as well as finding Avatars. Someone on Kyoshi island is also part of this organization insulted by Temujin, but she doesn't know who.

Now, many folks hated the last Avatar. She still doesn't understand why as she firmly believe that Avatars is a force for good. She felt disgusted when the very people an Avatar is protecting decided to spit on her name. But what is more frightening is that Temujin specifically said how the Avatar was killed, and the Avatar was no more. She doesn't know what he is implying and why everyone is fretting over this. While the Kyoshi warrior isn't that intone with the technical side the Avatar cycle as their island's spiritual cleric with the spirits, she knows one simple thing.

The Avatar can be reborn.

The wind blew with increasing power, rustling the trees as they danced to the new force. The metallic man was unaffected, standing still as his cape followed the wind's path.

"They called him, the Avatar killer. A simple name yet it carries so much weight in its words. It was by his decision, that the Avatar was slain. To create the world anew, and quell all asunder. The killer knew what he was doing, but has he succeeded?" The Judge of Honghai let go of the leaflet he is holding, allowing it to be carried away by the wind. "He who dealt with the Avatar. He who killed the unkillable. He who overcame what is insurmountable to humans. Just mentioning his name alone are said to bring bad luck. I don't believe that."

"W-What? What did you just..." Looking straight into his soulless helmet, she thought she heard it wrong. This statue was dedicated to a killer? A killer of an Avatar?

The general stood as still as the giant statue, looking at the Kyoshi warrior who is discovering things for the first time. But when the Judge confirmed what Temujin said, it did unsettled her. The idea that someone wanted to kill an Avatar is not inconceivable. Chin the conqueror probably wanted Kyoshi dead more than anything. But she never remembered that an Avatar was directly killed by the hands of humans, nor was such figure celebrated. Because the idea of that even happening in the first place sounded absurd, like a story that was made up. Who in the right mind would challenge an Avatar in a duel? Almost all people with ill intentions like tyrants and cutthroats. But for someone to do that and succeed? Impossible.

An Avatar can bend all four elements, to Satchiko, it is an absolute powerful advantage over your opponents. But perhaps the most prodigious tool an Avatar have is the mechanism known as the 'Avatar State'. According to her Kyoshi warrior mother, once triggered, the user's eyes would glow, displaying potent displays of bending, drawing knowledge from all past lives and summoning an astounding mastery of bending. Akahana said that being in the presence of the Avatar state is like witnessing the pure force of nature. Imagine standing alone, facing the raging volcano that destroys all in its path, hurricanes and tornadoes, waves turned to tsunami, and earthquakes that never end. All things that mere humans can never hope to control, for nature controls them, not the other way around.

Any opponent who dare face such powerful force is doomed to fail. Anyone who even toy with the idea of challenging an Avatar is the fool of all fools.

But the fool...succeeded?

"The Avatar was strong, powerful and beloved, there was no doubt about it until that point. But it seems that the killer came prepared. It's like watching a person smashing an egg against a hardened rock. But the rock breaks, and you wonder how in the name of Lady Tienhai could such upheaval happen. But nevertheless, there was a temptation in the Earth Kingdom. While the people are shocked by the Avatar's death, I find it surprising how they also have a deep infatuation with the killer. Hmm, funny isn't it. There are two types of people in this world, two polarizing forces. Those that cherish Korra, and those that loathe her to the bitter core. You seem to be in the former, are you not?" The judge asked.

"I respect the last Avatar, and I don't know why so many people hated her. But no matter what people say, I do think the world is better with an Avatar in it." Satchiko contemplated. The issue is confusing from her teenager perspective. She always viewed the world through a simpler lens. Good is good, and bad is bad. If the Avatar is good, why would people resent the Avatar?

The Judge of Honghai tilted his helmet to the side. "You respect the last Avatar, do you even know who she is?"

"Of course I know, she is-"

"Kids like you are so childish," the Judge sighed. "You know almost nothing about the last Avatar, yet you don't question a single thing about her. Although I do find your older sister to be a bit more wise. At least she isn't as rigid and stubborn as you are, well, she isn't an Earth-bender after all."

Satchiko thought back to Mayumi. This whole journey have shed some light of her sister's thought process. Mayumi don't seems to have the same eagerness to defend an Avatar, who is also technically Kyoshi. Back in the town of Shang, her sister tried to play along with the disgruntle locals when all of them lampooned Korra. As Satchiko tried to protect the Avatar's honor, her sister was more pragmatic, able to sideline a Kyoshi warrior's teachings and respect for the Avatar just to pander the mob. But she knew her Mayumi will never betray her. Even if they behave differently or see the world through a varied lens, they are still inseparable. No one needs to tell them that their sisterhood is as strong as steel.

"As an Avatar devotee, what can you tell me about the Avatar's reputation amongst the common people? I have reviewed the map, your little island isn't even on it. But I know you have traveled far. Tell me, what opinions do the people of the Earth Kingdom have towards the one who descended from above?" The judge tested again.

Finally given the chance to express her viewpoint, Satchiko hope the Judge isn't going to interrupt again. "Well, on my way to Ba Sing Se, I have met people that hated the Avatar, like they wanted nothing to do with the person that keeps the peace. The Kheshigs hated her a lot. I couldn't remember exactly why, but their leader Temujin said an Avatar is incompetent, unable to bring positive changes to their lives. The survivors of Shang town also dislike the Avatar, and I...I don't like it."

"Good, at least you do listen to complaints of Earth Kingdom commoners." The general nodded as he rested his jade colored glaive on the bench. "It's weird isn't it? How the Earth Kingdom built statues of the very killer that ended the Avatar. Perhaps it's just like how those weird folks in Chin village building statues of your greatest enemy, Chin the conqueror. I asked myself, why are the people of this land resenting the very being that is tasked to safeguard the world? When the Avatar was killed, people are saddened. But the truth is, too many commoners are secretly rejoicing. They hid their sharp poisonous fangs underneath their frowns, only now showing them, believing that the Avatar is truly no more. You ask me whose statue this is, and why are people bowing to it. The answer is simple, it is a mere human who managed to kill an Avatar, a person who came from their own kind. People don't know his name, face or where he came from. He is seen less as a person, and more of an idea. He act as the discontentful Earth Kingdom's response to what they believe to be an unfit Avatar, and to a certain extend, act as the whole world's wrath. At that point, a very dangerous question arise, one none of us wish to entertain. Do we very need an Avatar?"

"Of course we do!" Satchiko snapped back furiously. So much she has grew up with is being challenged. Those tales and stories shared by older Kyoshi warriors is something she values deeply. "How else are we supposed to fight back against evil? Avatars did all those heroic things. Like stopping tyranny, preventing wars, never do they run away from their problems. They even try to forge peace between the humans and the kamuy. Without them, we would all be goners! One day, the reincarnation of Kyoshi will be found again!"

The Judge was silent, but not arguing further. "We shall see..." He went to the eatery's backdoor preparing to went back in. "Your path is still long, and you will see more along the way. I wonder if the story of the Avatar killer on how he killed what is deemed unkillable inspired you somewhat in a weird and twisted way. Well, it's a child's right to dream. But when you grow up, put those away. Even someone who lacks talent in Earth-bending like you can overcome the presenting tribulations."

The Kyoshi warrior crossed her arms. "I don't need to be inspired by a villain!" she muttered.

"We are all villains to someone, and heroes to the rest. Trust me, for someone like me, I prefer those who view me as the villain be punished for their own crimes. Also, if you ever have more questions, ask. See you around these parts." The general finally reentered the building, leaving Satchiko to ponder his words. It's true just like how Mayumi said: Different perspectives create different people. There are those who revere the Avatar, and those that took their existence for granted.

She looked at the statue again, deeply offended that people built a statue to celebrate a person who killed an Avatar. Disgraceful, she thought. While other people might hail him as a hero for killing what appears to be a disdained Avatar, she do not share the same views. She doesn't see any heroic deeds in the Avatar killer not matter how she tries to decipher the context. She promised herself, as long as she breathes, she will always revere the Avatar and their role to help the people.

...

The entire room brightened in a flash, the fire almost burned her as the chef poured more in more gas to ignite. Despite standing right in front of it, the cook in question didn't even flinch. He used his spatula, ferociously shoveling the food inside the wok. The whole room is filled with clanking noise and staff shouting.

Mayumi used her arms to shield herself from the heat, but that didn't stop the blood underneath her skin from fleeing away. On the first day here in Ba Sing Se, she have to endure the freezing cold rain, now it's the exact opposite. She found out first hand that working in the kitchen of Grandma Jin's eatery is not the most comfortable experience. The space is cramped, with the kitchen fire constantly rising the heat and no adequate ventilation. She is responsible for many of the menial work here; washing dishes, preparing chef ingredients in small metal bowls, cutting vegetables, bringing cooked dishes to the front counter, mop the floors. Of course, along with being a dishwasher.

"Mayumi!" A chef barked. "Get me the ingredients for a Supreme noodle!"

Hearing this like a military command, Mayumi bolted to where the raw produce are stored. The kitchen positioned a group of containers in the center. Meat, seafood, vegetables and every type of noodles are placed there. The preparation she must complete involves putting the required ingredients into bowls and hand them to the cooks. The memorization of each dish was certainly difficult. Completing the training for a kitchen staff did reminded her a lot of Akahana's grueling trainings.

The Supreme noodle is a dish consisted of vegetables, thin egg noodles, a large prawn, three small shrimp, fish cakes, calamari, as well as three types of land meat. Those are picken(pig and chicken hybrid), moo-sow and pig…

Just pig?

"Here you go!" Mayumi placed a metal bowl of uncooked food to a chef. But the man berated her mistake.

"Too much noodles!" He yelled. "And there is one extra shrimp, there should only be three! Also, where are the onions!"

"S-Sorry!" Mayumi endured it. She forgets certain types of ingredients when customer orders are flooding into the kitchen. She can't think properly under so much pressure, which is strange considering she always has a calm attitude in battle. Unlike back home, she can't work at her own pace. When she cooks, she always enjoy the moment and process of preparing food for her family. That was more of a leisure than labor. But here, work is tiresome and repetitive. It drains her energy as well as devitalizing her brain. It's all about incurring income, and less about the work itself.

When the customer order finally dialed down a bit, Mayumi is then assigned to slice some vegetables into pieces, these will be used again tomorrow.

Additionally, she also have to scrub the mountain of used plates and bowls. The staff urged her to be quick and efficient. Meaning, she can't take her time to focus on details. Even though her fingers became shrink with wrinkles, she can't stop to rest. Now that she thinks about it, she haven't sat down at all.

Wiping a drop of sweat using her green sleeve, she kept cleaning. There is no time to think, and no time to rest. This restaurant is always busy. Stopping even once is fatal as the customer's voracious appetite do not tolerate delays. And washing the dishes is definitely a daunting task.

"Finally," she made a tired sighed. Placing the last clean plate on a giant stack and wiped her soaking hands on the white apron. Hearing the laughter and chatter of the dining room gradually dying down, the rush hour have passed. She exited the kitchen to confirm it, but before she can even take a seat to rest, something else grabbed all the staff's attention.

A lone guard, wearing a different type of uniform from the regular customers, entered the eatery. He is equipped in some type of brigandine armor, with green colored satin covering the metal scales. This isn't just any guardsmen, he is a royal guard from Ba Sing Se's upper ring!

Mayumi's employer Jin emerged from the back of the kitchen. She greeted the man, Mayumi knew something out of the ordinary is occurring. The royal guard unrolled a piece of parchment and read the edict out loud. "In the short span of one week, the grand Keju graduation ceremony will be held in Ba Sing Se's royal palace. To commentate the successes of all the Jinshi who have attained their scholarship, members of the city's most important citizens and foreign dignitaries will be present. To address this, the director have decided to enlisted the help of your crew. You will be given the opportunity to perform catering duty to the guests! Your services will of course be rewarded handsomely!" He rolled up the parchment again, signally the end of the speech.

Obviously, their restaurant's secret recipe roast ducks have attracted wide attention. Jin and her associates have done catering for wealthy households of the upper ring gatherings. Weddings or birthdays, anyone who has a celebration would want to taste Grandma Jin's secret roast duck. To Mayumi's knowledge, this could be the most prodigious task the restaurant is given. While she doesn't know how significant this ceremony is, she knew the eatery can receive more publicity in this manner.

All the cooks peeked their heads out of the kitchen's entrance, and the waitress also looked on with anticipation. One woman grasped her hand tight together as they waited for Jin's decision. Only the owner has the final say in this.

Luckily, the elder with a long white braid of hair nodded slowly. She humbly received the parchment from the guard as a sign that the restaurant will accept the monumental task. "Hehehe!" She chuckled lightly. "You very think I would say no?" She faced the brigandine royal guard and bowed. "It would be our greatest honor!"

Without warning, all the staff in the room erupted in both cheer and exhilaration. Except for the gloomy Xiao Qing, every other waitresses in the room danced with joy, squealing.

"We are going to the ball!" They cried, failing to contain their overflowing excitement.

"W-What's going on?" Mayumi asked. Is there something she isn't aware off? She knew doing catering in Ba Sing Se's royal palace would increase the eatery's prestige. But why are its employees acting like they are directly benefiting from it?

"Oh, let those young girls be themselves!" Jin laughed heartwarmingly. She arrived next to Mayumi to explain why all these female waitresses are exploding with joy. According to Jin, who have been living in Ba Sing Se since the days of the Hundred Year War, the Keju graduation ceremony is not only an inception for those passing the world's cruelest exam. It is also a party designed to host high profile members of the city and important dignitaries. When so many important people are gathered in one place, naturally there is going to be a ball. And when there is a dancing ball, there will naturally be opportunities for young women to find their own prince charming.

"So that's what they are exited about," Mayumi said. Seeing her fellow female co-workers behaving like children made her feel a bit uneasy. She never shared such sentiment. The idea of love at first sight is something she believe only exist in children's tales. Perhaps all the girls here are too influenced by those bedtime stories, thinking the party is a great opportunity to find true love.

Xiao Qing slowly arriving from behind. "They look pathetic," she darkly muttered. "Lovesick sheep who are only after those spoiled men's coins."

Luckily, none of their colleagues can hear their conversation. In hindsight, these female waitresses may have been a bit too childish for their age. Their overexcitement may have been the accumulation of long dull hours in the eatery. Yet, they are also in their early twenties, searching for love. But it is irresponsible to harbor unrealistic expectations onto themselves.

"Oh, they are just young girls dreaming about romance. Let them dream Xiao Qing, you should too." The old Jin advised to the reclusive waitress. But Xiao Qing responded by moving away, presumably disgusted. Jin then turned to Mayumi, who knew what might be said. "This catering at the royal palace will be a great challenge for all of us, you are still new here, I hope you are ready."

"I will do my best, thank you grandma Jin." Mayumi understands the upcoming 'battle'. From what she has heard, there are high expectations when it comes to higher society catering. For a newly incepted dishwasher, she will most likely be handling some simple tasks at the grand ceremony. Maybe handing out some food or distributing their famous roast duck to the guests. Amid the presence of countless high profile attendees, any unwanted incidents must he avoided at alp cost.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. We will only be working for the first half of the party when the guests are first arriving to the royal palace. Afterwards, you can attend the ball as you wish. Our job will end before they announce the graduating students."

"An enticing opportunity, but I will pass." Mayumi said. "There are certain things that are not very at the top of my priority. I think maybe next time." To her, Satchiko's success in her education is the main quest. This Keju ceremony is a golden opportunity to scout out for a potential tutor, someone who can teach both bending and classroom knowledge to her knucklehead sibling. If Te Gaogui cannot fill that role, than she will just have to find someone else.

"Are you sure?" Jin smiled, trying to soften Mayumi's shield. "I remember back in my days, I dated a boy from a tea shop. His uncle was very friendly, and he allowed us to have a great time. Don't you want to find a handsome boy and steal his heart? Hmm?"

"No," Mayumi responded, firmly this time. "If I ever want to find a life long companion, I want him to be someone I know beforehand."

Unlike the other waitresses, again excluding Xiao Qing, Mayumi have no time for such nonsense. While Akahana is concerned about this aspect of her life, she will use the Keju graduation ceremony to search for someone who is knowledgeable enough to teach Satchiko. Everything else is arbitrary.

"What dress should we bring?" A waitress in the background asked her colleague. "I have this silk robe mother gave me as a present, it can finally see the light of day!"

They all cheered boisterously. Filled with high spirit, they tidied up the eatery at a very motivated pace.

Mayumi lamented, looking at her dirty apron. She might need to bring something to compensate for her dull looking green kimono. She doubt this current disguise will be enough to be taken seriously.

...

Author's notes:

-The brigandine armor style of Ba Sing Se's royal guard is heavily inspired from the Qing dynasty armor.

-I felt like I am taking a HUGE risk here. When the canon release new information about Chin the conqueror, there is a chance that all the despicable things I said about that tyrant would become absolutely nonsense. But because Chin literally appeared for a few seconds on show, anything bad I said about him carries the risk of contradicting the canon.

-About Jin's benevolent eatery. The title of the restaurant was made before I realize that the name Jin can also mean benevolence in Japanese. What a neat coincidence.

-The real supreme noodle in the restaurant I work in has similar recipe, but the land meat is just pork, chicken and beef.

Self-reflection on past chapters:

In the early days of me writing this, my word composition suffers from many problems. Poor grammar, misspelled words and constantly changing thoughts and perspectives of characters. I would like to credit Matheus De Lima for pointing out a lot of spelling mistakes caused by the morally corrupt and reprehensible entity known as autocorrect. After going back to fix them, I have found and fixed about 85% of them. I want to credit user Matwice and a friend from real life for improving my writing in terms of writing decision and world building. My writing suffered greatly because back then I write the paragraphs, and character perspective went back and forth, causing great inconvenience to the readers. Thanks to Matwice's helpful advise, I have fixed many of the glaring mistake I made. For world building, there is a great shift from what I originally planned. I remember how I used the disgusting word 'gentrification' to describe Kyoshi island's development, ugh, I was such an idiot. Reject boring modern day architecture, return to GLORIOUS WOODEN LODGES! Seriously, that old world building could have destroyed everything. Why would people want to read about a story if it's so similar to real life? Imagine people live in the dull grey looking area of some big city with skyscraper, they want to experience escapism in the stories they consume. Thankfully, Avatar provided such a colorful world building with such enriching, unique cultures and architecture, My personal favorite spot are Republic city's dark alleyways and streets. So unique, so beautiful, so creative and so original. Sigh, too bad I can't visit a place like that in real life.

Anyway, for characters, I don't very like Lei. He talked a bit too much. Way too much. I also don't like what some characters said so I throw those paragraphs into the memory hole. I decreased 86% cringe by snapping my infinite gauntlet, which I do not own, I rented it. So you shouldn't see those too often.

In my everlasting pursuit to ripe off the Mongolian culture, I have added the 'Eternal Sky' to the Kheshig to function as the spiritual side of their culture.

Rewritten chapters(major changes) that I highly recommend to read again for updated info:

Prologue: Please pay attention to the object the person is holding.

Chapter 9: Rewritten fight scene

Chapter 12: Changed some dialogue

Chapter 14: Changed context and dialogue for the meeting of the three matrons. Added another role to Tomoe.

Chapter 39: Changed Batu's cruel act.

Chapter 43: Fight between the Judge and Boque changed a bit.(Nothing too big plot wise)

Chapter 45: Improved dialogue between Hakaru and Ebisu

23/12/2021

I also want to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas, to gather again with family and friends. I unfortunately couldn't write a Christmas special this year due to time constraints.

God bless you all.