章節 26: City OF Walls And Secrets
Azira was grateful for the nap, the snacks, and to be caught up on the information they had gained while in the desert.
Being in Ba Sing Se felt like something out of a dream, something that was just so unattainable anywhere else.
Even if the war was looming closer and closer just beyond the wall.
Sokka gently shook the girl awake-and considering that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder, it wasn't that hard to do. "Did I miss something " Azira mumbled tiredly.
"No, we're almost to the Inner Wall." Sokka said quietly.
" l just can't believe we finally made it here in one piece." Katara said, shaking her head excitedly."Don't jinx us!" Azira and Sokka insisted at the same time.
"We could still be attacked by some giant exploding Fire Nation thing. I'm sure of it." Sokka huffed. "Or that the city's been submerged in some kind of sea monster:" Azira added glumly.
"Have you been hitting the cactus juice again?" Toph questioned.
"Cactus juice?" Azira choked out. "What in the Spirits did I miss in that desert?"
"I'm just saying that weird stuff happens to us! That's all!" Sokka said defensively.
Stepping off the train, Azira kept a hand out for Toph. "I know you hate the city.
And I know you don't need my help.
But it's mostly so I don't fight anyone else."
"You're so bad at lying sometimes." Toph said, shaking her head in Azira's direction.
The city was, in fact, somewhat beautiful. The walled city had beautifully made and designed buildings, with lush life growing within.
"First time in a city like this?" Azira questioned, glancing over at Sokka.
"Yeah!" He breathed out. This is amazing!"
Just then, a woman with a much too-large smile approached them. Almost immediately, something about her just didn't sit right with Azira.
"Hello! My name is Joo Dee. I have been given the great honour of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, Azira, and Toph! Welcome to our wonderful city! Shall we get started?
"Yes! We have information about the Fire Nation Army that we need to deliver to the Earth King immediately, " Sokka said firmly.
"Great! Let's begin and then I will show you to your new home here."
Azira locked eyes with Sokka-it was as if this woman hadn't even heard what Sokka had said about the Fire Nation. That was odd-witha war on, it seemed rather important.
"Maybe you missed what he said "
Azira stated coldly, not moving an inch. "We need to speak with the King."
"You're in Ba Sing Se now. Everyone is safe here." Joo Dee replied without missing a beat.
"Tour it is!" Katara exclaimed.
Azira wasn't sure how to feel about things. Ba Sing Se at its surface seemed like a nice and decent place. But with the wall dividing the Upper and Lower City, she was starting to see that there was a real division here.
Those who had been untouched by the war ,or were rich enough to escape the repercussions. And the refugees,
people who knew the war almost as well as their own names.
There had to have been an answer-a reason behind all of this.
"Why do they have all of the poor people blocked off?" Katara whispered, eyes flicking over to Azira.
Aang soured, shoulders deflating. "This is why I never came here before. I always heard that it was so different from the way that the monks taught us to live."
"It's not so different from..the capital of where I'm from." Azira said carefully, eyes not leaving Joo Dee. "But still, it's wrong. It doesn't help anyone."
The Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se was considerably nicer but still only considered the middle-class. There was a University here, and restaurants and other stuff.
know, we met a professorr from your University. He took us to a secret underground library in a desert and we discovered absolutely crucial information about the war that the King needs to hear.
"History is amazing! Look, here's our historic city hall!" Joo Dee exited the carriage, hurrying off.
"Is she deaf or something?" Sokka demanded, eyes wide at his friend.
"Maybe she's under orders not to talk about the war or something." Azira suggested, leaning back on the plush green cushions.
"It's called being handled. Get used to it." Toph snarked.It felt more than weird, lazing around slightly. Still, Azira had taken advantage of having an actual bathroom. She had immediately taken a bath, cleaning herself of all of her grime and dirt and sweat.
She couldn't remember the last time she had actually been able touse use a bath. Then she had braided her hair into a bun atop her head. But staring in the mirror in the bathroom, Azira wasn't sure she recognized herself like this.
It was like a pale imitation of the person she had created for the Fire Nation. The perfect daughter, the perfect soldier, the perfect student. At everything. And she was everything for everyone, all of the time.
Exiting the baths and finding her friends just beginning to wake up, Azira found Katara reading over a scroll. "What do you have there, Tara?"
Katara looked up, a small gasp escaping her lips. "Your hair--
"Not important. What's on the scroll?" Azira questioned curiously.
"Well | know how we're going to see the Earth King. There's a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear." Katara exclaimed. "The palace will be packed and we can sneak in with the crowd."
"Cute idea,"
"Won't work." Toph finished for Azira.
"Why not?" Katara questioned, looking between the two girls.
"No offense or anything to you simple country folk, but a real society crowd will spot you a mile away. You've got no
manners. The only person who could get in and pass with me would be Azira." Toph insisted.
"Excuse me?" Katara fumed. "You're not exactly Miss-Lady Fingers."
"l learned proper society behaviour and chose to leave it" Toph gave a burp as she corrected Katara.
"Couldn't you two just teach us? How hard could it be?" Aang pointed out. Azira watched in amusement as Aang bumped into Sokka, trying to bow correctly. "You two aren't coming." She deadpanned, crossing her arms.
"Katara could pull it off. You two would be lucky to pass as waiters." Toph insisted.
Azira let out a deep sigh. "I guess it's a good thing l did my hair."
"Why?" Katara questioned.
Toph rose to her feet, a glum expression on her face. "Because we have to have makeovers."
A spa day with Toph and Katara seemed like one of the weirder things that Azira had ever done. Mostiy because she just never saw it happening in the middle of a war. Or between all of the other stuff they were usually doing.
"You left this stuff behind too. I guess I didn't realize." Katara murmured, handing Azira the fine cream dress.
"I made my choice."
"You chose Zuko." Katara stated.
Sensing a thousand other questions behind Katara's words, Azira let out a sigh, pulling the dress on and stepping out of the dressing room. "And then I chose Aang. Don't overthink it. Toph, you look-"
"Not like me?" Toph snapped.
It was true , the younger girl didn't much look like herself. With her hair carefully done back and makeup on her face, she seemed much more fragile. Like she had never left the Beifong Home.
"I was just going to say that you always look beautiful. You just look different." Toph was still for a solid minute. "You're not lying."
It was a statement, not a question. "I wouldn't lie to you." Azira said simply, a smile slipping onto her face Toph simply took the older girl's hand. "Thanks."
The trio made their way back to the house, finding Aang and Sokka preparing to sneak into the palace. "I see you two have been busy Azira stated dryly.
"Woah...you look.bad." Sokka blurted, eyes falling on the heavy makeup on Azira's face.
"Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel good" Katara punched Sokka's arm.
Azira just gave a laugh. "Well I appreciate that. We'll see you there, then! And try not to insult any other girls!"
Sneaking into the party was one thing-getting derailed by the Dai Li Agents was quite another thing. And for Azira, it completely upset the balance of any sort of safety she should have felt with within Ba Sing Se.
Because something was very very wrong here. And she was going to figure it out. One way or another.
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