Fandom Tales of Ba Sing Se [DreamlandDenizen x Sakura Shimura]

[DreamlandDenizen]

"It is truly my honor, Avatar Aang, to welcome you and your companions to Ba Sing Se, the capital city, and crown jewel of the Earth Kingdom," Said a woman dressed in a tan and green dress. As she spoke a wide unwavering smile remained painted on her face. She gave a deep bow at the end of her speech.

The group was standing on an elevated terrace just beyond the outer wall. Behind the smiling woman, far below the terrace, was an endless expanse of houses, streets, and shops. Aang had never seen a city this big before.

"I am Joo Dee," She continued. "And I'll be your guide for as long as you're here in Ba Sing Se."

Sokka's eyebrows lowered a touch in annoyance. Now was hardly the time for such pleasantries. "Yeah that's great," he said, "But we need to see the Earth King. Right now."

A look of confusion settled in the woman's eyes, a stark contrast to the broad smile still parting her lips.

Sokka pulled in a lung full of air, clearly about to go off on a rant. Aang gestured to stop him and whispered "I got this." Shouting would do no good here. Sokka's frustration was understandable, as they'd only been in Ba Sing Se for all of an hour and already they'd been in a life-or-death fight with the Fire Nation.

When Aang spoke, it was in the regal tone he used while trying to sound wise and Avatarly in front of strangers. "We have urgent news we need to share with the Earth King about the war. There's a chance to turn the tide and strike the final blow to the Fire Nation. There's an Eclip--"

"There is no war in Ba Sing Se," the woman said, tilting her head slightly.

"Well there certainly would've been if we didn't stop the giant drill from breaching your wall just now," Sokka shouted. "You're welcome by the way."

"Dont be silly, our outer wall is impenetrable. Ba. Sing. Se. It means the Impenetrable City. There is no danger here."

Aang opened his mouth to speak again but before he could, Joo Dee said quickly, "We've made the finest accomidations for you and your companions, please follow me. You all look as if you could use rest...," her eyes darted over to Toph before she finished "... and a bath."

Toph crossed her arms. "She's looking at me isn't she?"

Joo Dee gestured for the lot of them go forward, towards a rail cart fixed to a set of tracks that ran along the top of an inner wall. There was something oddly final about the tone of her words and the look in her eyes. Despite her sickening politeness she'd managed to make it clear that any objections to what she had said would fall on deaf ears.

Sokka marched towards the cart. As he passed her he scraped a handful of sludge off his shoulder and splattered it into her open palm. She looked at it in disgust. For the first time the smile waivered from her face. "What is this?" She asked.

"Your impenetrable wall."

At that Sokka climbed into the cart and sulked, waiting for the others.

Katara leaned in towards Toph and Aang and whispered "Is it me or is he grumpier than usual?"

"Little bit," Toph said.

----

The ride on the rail cart led them past the impoverished outer districts and into the central district where their temporary new home was. On the way Joo Dee told them that they'd have to wait over a month to speak with the Earth king. She also advised them not to go snooping around the city alone, and to wait to be escorted by the Dai Li if ever they needed to go somewhere. Aang of course had every intention to not follow that advice. He had come to Ba Sing Se for a reason and it wasn't to sit around and do nothing.

Their accommodations were quite nice. The house they'd been assigned was plenty big enough for the four of them, and they each had their own private bathroom.

As the sun set over the city, Aang sat in his bath. The warm water soothed the few burns he'd gotten earlier that day while fighting Azula. He was tired, he felt like he hadn't slept in a week, but he knew now wasn't any time to rest. As soon as he'd gotten washed up, and shaved the stubble from his head and face -- and once the city was fully shrouded by the cloak of night -- he'd go out and start his search for Appa. The Sandbenders had said he'd likely been taken here. He had to be here somewhere.

Aang raised the Skybison-shaped whistle to his lips and blew it. He gazed out of the window overlooking the city, wondering where his oldest friend had been taken.

 

[Doctor Poison]

Skylar had made it to the city a couple weeks ago, blending in with the other refugees. In her travels, she had learned more of what her people were doing on the Fire Lord's orders. Everyone just thought of them as evil. It made sense. This was war. And the fire nation soldiers burned down villages, killed people, and trapped innocents in slavery. But why couldn't they see? They were just following orders. Didn't people realize what would happen if these soldiers didn't do as they were told? What would happen to their families or children? Skylar just kept seeing more effects of the war here. She lived in the slums as did a lot of refugees. But Skylar was strong and smart, so she had a job. She knew the Avatar would have to come through here at some point. Skylar was always searching for him. For hope.

The next day Skylar was outside of the inn she worked at, sweeping. Because of her unique appearance, she was often put up front to get customers. It was a crappy place and she worked for a place to stay and regular meals. It wasn't really that bad, though. After hours, she broke into the upper ring. Skylar could get over the walls using her bending. It was where the palace was, and the most likely place for the Avatar to be. Skylar infiltrated every night, avoiding the Dai Li. The stories of what they did to dissenters... it made even her shiver in terror.

 

[DreamlandDenizen]

A clean and freshly shaven Aang slipped out of the house, leaving the others to listen to Sokka's overly intricate, doomed-to-fail plan on how he was going to get to the Earth King. Aang had told the others he was just going out to get fresh air so they wouldn't worry. They'd been walking on egg shells around him ever since he slipped into a rage an entered the avatar state after learning of Appa's kidnapping. He was tired of explaining to them that he was fine now, so he'd rather do what he had to do without talking with them about it.

If only he had someone else to talk to. But he didn't know anyone else in Ba Sing Se, and everyone else here seemed so... out of touch with what was going on in the world. And it seemed that wasn't a coincidence.

Just outside the house a few Dai Li lurked, apparently standing guard. Aang summoned a gust of wind and whisked himself away, out of sight, just before they turned around.

He made it away from the house and found a cobblestone road lined with shops that were still open. Aang was a bit taller than the average man, so he tended to stand out a little in a crowd. That was true even now as he wore a hooded cloak, with the hood pulled low, covering his tattoos. He walked with a bit of a hunch to better blend in.

As he walked among the people he listened to their conversations, hoping on the faint chance he'd hear someone say something -- anything -- about a sky bison.

 

[Doctor Poison]

Skylar snuck around the upper ring, taking care not to be seen. Anyone could tell she wasn't supposed to be here. But any clue of the Avatar would be worth the risk. Skylar saw a gust of air in the distance that wasn't natural wind. "...He's here" Skylar whispered to herself. Where would he go? To the palace...? But at this time of night? Skylar was covered up in a cloak she mugged from a noble who was visiting the slums, so she blended in. Skylar resisted the urge to scream. He was here. She was going to find him. Skylar saw a tall man in a cloak. She had never seen him here before. Even if this wasn't the guy, he HAD to know something, and Skylar was positive he wasn't Dai Li. So she stalked him. And waited until they blended in the crowd. Skylar came closer and closer, her heart racing. She dragged him out of the street and to a back alley where there wouldn't be any eyes on them. He put up a good fight, but Skylar was a more experienced fighter. She shoved him up against the wall and covered his mouth, so this man couldn't scream. "I'm not going to hurt you" she whispered. "But you're gonna answer my questions...are you the Avatar?"

 

[DreamlandDenizen]

As Aang listened in on the conversations around him all he heard was idle talk on the weather, or the slight variation of the prices of tea. No one seemed to be aware of the war, much less of a Skybison. Suddenly though he became aware of someone following him. He wasn't sue what it was that tipped him off. Maybe he'd caught a glimpse of the hooded figure in his periphreal vision, or maybe he could feel the persons footsteps in the ground. Toph had been trying to teach him that. Either way he knew he was being followed. Must have been the Dai Li.

Aang was expecting the person to tail him and just observe. He was completely caught off guard when they grabbed him and dragged him into a back alley.

His first instinct was to airbend, but he stopped himself mid-motion, not wanting to give himself away just yet. They took advantage of his moment of hesitation and before he knew it he was shoved against a wall with a hand over his mouth.

"Are you the Avatar?"

He looked her in the eye for a moment. Often times when someone grabbed him and demanded to know if he was the Avatar it was a fire bender trying to capture him. This person however... there was something about the way she looked that told Aang she wasn't a threat, and her promise not to hurt him was honest.

When she removed her hand from his mouth so he could speak, he exhaled a massive gust of wind, downward, both pushing her back and lifting himself into the air, ripping himself from her grasp. He landed a few feet away, deeper in the ally, and assumed air nomad fighting stance.

She'd asked a question and, in a way, he'd answered it. Now he waited to see what her next move would be.

 

[Doctor Poison]

It WAS him. Skylar couldn't help but smile. She stumbled back but didn't fall. "I spent a long time...searching for you. Now that you're here... I feel a little star struck. Avatar Aang...please allow me to help you in the downfall of the Fire Lord Ozai. I'm sure you tried to get an audience with the Earth King. 'But one doesn't just pop in on the Earth King'" Skylar had a good imitation of Joo Dee. "I've been here two weeks. They sure have mastered the art of bureacratic bullshit. I couldn't even get my foot in the door cuz I live in the slums. But you can get away with a bit of trouble. Your obstacle is named Long Feng. He'll prevent you from seeing the king at any cost. The Dai Li have eyes and ears everywhere, so I must be brief. The king is just a puppet. All he does is throw fancy parties and make pointless laws relating to art and culture. This city is rotten. Don't accuse Long Feng without tangible proof. Don't trust anyone you don't know. That includes me. It's fine if you disregard this information...just be careful. Just know I am on your side...and an enemy to the Fire Nation"

 

[Doctor Poison]

Bump

 

[Doctor Poison]

Bumped