The next part in the gang’s ‘World Tour’.
Previous parts found here:
Part 1a
distanthorizons.proboards31.com/index.cgi?board=avrelations&action=display&thread=1190419728&page=75#1199619645Part 1b
distanthorizons.proboards31.com/index.cgi?board=avrelations&action=display&thread=1190419728&page=75#1199619762Part 2
distanthorizons.proboards31.com/index.cgi?board=avrelations&action=display&thread=1190419728&page=86#1205644874------------------------------------------------------------------
The Most Romantic City in the World.
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“AAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!”
The resident Kyoshi Warrior didn’t bother to look up from her weapons cleaning. She knew that yell. The all so familiar one filled with frustration, irritation and aggravation.
Usually directed at one member of their little troupe.
“And just how did his Royal Highness manage to earn the attentions of our fair Waterbender this morning?”
Katara stomped past Suki in a stormy rage, the moisture in the air around her crystallizing and shattering with each heave of her chest. If Suki had given Katara more than a passing glance, she’d have seen the poor girl’s face was beet red.
Flushed, Katara whirled on Suki, startling the armored young woman. Taking in Katara’s flushed and enraged expression, Suki began, what Toph had come to call, ‘The Taming of the Tidal Shrew.’
In simple terms, it meant calming Katara down before they were less one royal dignitary and more one reason to go to war…again.
“Hey, hey! Chill.” Soothed the Kyoshi Captain, “Hehe…Chill. Waterbender. Ha!” She chuckled.
Not finding any of this in any way amusing, Katara growled, staring Suki down which was quite a feat given Suki being the second tallest person, tied with Sokka, in the group.
Tallest being the current object of Katara’s ire.
As usual.
“Whoa there! I don’t have a scar on my face! I don’t snort fire when I snore! Innocent bystander here!”
Katara screwed her eyes shut, mentally counting to ten and back again before speaking,
“You’re picking up Sokka’s lame sense of humor.” She deadpanned. Suki shrugged, setting her fans aside, “Worked didn’t it?”
Katara let out an exasperated cry before falling on to the log they used as a bench, “Gah! How could he be so inconsiderate?!”
“Did Sokka eat your share of breakfast again?”
“No! He’s training with Lord ‘I’m too important to wear a shirt for training’! Has he no decency?”
Suki arched a brow. Katara was freaking out because Zuko wasn’t wearing a shirt? This warranted further investigation,
“Who? Sokka? But he’s your brother. So what if he’s shirtless? I’ve seen him shirtless plenty of times and I like it.” Suki baited the Waterbender.
Katara thrust out an accusing finger, “Stop! Bad thoughts! I don’t want to know!” Her face flushed even redder at the mention of bad thoughts.
Suki’s lips formed an ‘O’, “Oooh. So Zuko’s the shirtless one eh?”
“Yes!” cried Katara, throwing her hands in Suki’s face, “Exactly! Doesn’t he have any shame? We’ve got three unwed women in the group!”
Suki held up two fingers, “Two. We have two unwedded women plus one engaged and soon to be YOUR sister-in-law. I don’t count. Or maybe just you, seeing as how we found Aang and Toph snuggling that morning.”
“I AM NOT A SPINSTER!”
“What's so bad about being single? I’m single and it’s great! All the freedom in the world!”
The older girls turned their heads, taking in the sight of a yawning Toph, her hair an absolute mess and her night clothes dusted down with her ever present ‘healthy coating of earth’. The young heiress grunted and scratched her stomach underneath her nightshirt. For the cherry on top, she hawked and spat on the dying embers of the previous night’s campfire.
Katara’s left eye twitched while Suki greeted the youngest female member of their group, “Morning Toph.”
“Yeah yeah. Sun is shining and all that. What’s with Sweetness trying to make me deaf?” Toph sauntered over to what was left of breakfast.
“Oh she saw Zuko shirtless.” Suki shrugged.
Toph spoke through a mouthful of Chicken-Pig bacon, bits of fat and crispy skin flying in the process,
“Gee. Must be such a horrible SIGHT. Glad I’m blind.”
“He has no business baring himself like that!” Screeched Katara, “There are women present!”
“So? Snoozles goes around shirtless sometimes. I don’t care.”
“And I really, really don’t mind.” Added Suki.
“Plus you and Twinkle Toes used to practice water bending in your undies!”
“Is that jealously I hear Toph?” Needled Suki, poking the young girl in the ribs playfully.
“Why,” Katara’s eyes lit up, “I believe it is Suki.”
“No!” Toph countered, a little too quickly, “Point is, Sweetness. Only YOU seem to be bothered by Cinderbutt’s voluntary wardrobe malfunction. From what Twinkles’ told me, those Fire Nation girls are all over him. Maybe YOU’RE the jealous one.”
“What Fire Nation girls? There aren’t any girls.”
“That’s because you’ve scared them all away.” Toph waved her hands from side to side in front of her, “Oh no. It’s the Waterbender. She’ll freeze our butts off! Help! Help!”
Suki cocked her head and wiggled her hand in a fifty-fifty manner, “Not bad. But not that good either. A solid seven out of ten.”
Toph gave a ‘meh’ look, “I try. I try. Anyway, when are we gonna hit Omashu? I wanna see just how big and bad this King Bumi geezer is.”
Thankful for the change in topic, Katara answered, “We’re quite close actually, once Appa’s airborne, we’ll be there in an hour or two.
“Good. He maybe the OLDEST Earthbender. But I’m gonna show him just who’s the best.”
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“What am I going to do buddy?” Aang lamented, tossing heads of cabbage into Appa’s waiting mouth,
“I mean…I know I like her. Always did. But this time ‘round…it’s...I dunno, it just isn’t the same…ya know?”
The massive bison merely growled, waiting for another cabbage with an eager mouth.
“Yeah. I know I did the same with Katara. But this is different! I’m sure!”
Appa grunted as if to say, “I don’t care just feed me!”
“It just feels right…ya know? Yeah, I know I said that about Katara too but hey! I was just a kid then…well actually…I’m still a kid now…that’s what Iroh’s ministers call me anyway…but what do they know right? Right? Appa? Buddy?”
But the Sky Bison in question had already lumbered off, figured if Aang wasn’t going to feed him, he’d find someone who would. That dusty blind girl would feed him. She was nice. She fought to save him from the funny smelling sand humans once. She failed, but he didn’t hold it against her.
“Appa? Appa? Guess it’s just you now Momo. Where was I? Oh yeah, but I’m not a kid anymore….”
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“Look there it is! Omashu!”
The group, save for Toph, crowded the front of Appa’s saddle, earning a grunt of discomfort from the bison as he lurched forward from the sudden shift in weight. Along side of him Momo and Hawky sailed gracefully on the currents.
“Great. The sooner we get there the better.” Toph picked her ear, flicking the small ball of wax in Aang’s general direction.
Katara took note of Toph’s lack of enthusiasm, “I thought you wanted to face King Bumi in a match?”
“I do but it’d make me a whole lot happier if you guys didn’t rock the bison so much!”
“Sorry!” yelled Aang from his usual spot on Appa’s head, “Appa’s kinda tired.” The Avatar leaned forward, petting his friend’s fuzzy arrow shaped patch of fur, “Just a little bit more buddy.”
A disgruntled growl was Appa’s reply as if chiding the young Avatar for not feeding him that morning.
“Well, maybe if we didn’t have such a heavy load,” Suki playfully poked Sokka in the gut, “Poor Appa shouldn’t have to carry an entire farm full of dead animals around.”
“Hey! A man needs his meat.” Retorted the Water tribesman.
“I don’t eat meat!” Said Aang, straining his ears to catch whatever he could of the conversations behind him.
A hoarse laugh barked out, “Yes…well…that answers that doesn’t it?”
Suki glanced over to Toph, smiling mischievously, “I don’t know Sokka. I’m pretty sure SOMEONE thinks Aang’s a real man.”
Toph groaned, burying her face in her folded arms. They still hadn’t let it go. Ever since she woke up cuddled next to Twinkle Toes, she’d been the subject of teasing, on Suki’s end, and concerned talks, which would be Katara’s doing.
“And we’re going to Omashu, the most romantic city in the world. How fitting.”
At this Zuko leaned forward, “The most romantic city in the world? How?”
The rest of the crew cast him disbelieving looks before Katara spoke,
“You’ve never heard of how the city got its name?”
The fire prince shrugged, “All I've really known is that Azula renamed it after my father.”
Katara let out a sad sigh, “Oh you poor uneducated savage.” Zuko glared back, “How long have you been waiting to call me that?”
“Since day one. Now shut up and let me tell you the love story of Oma and Shu….”
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Omashu had weathered many trying periods over the last few years. Most notably the Fire Nation take over under Azula’s command and the following liberation from said invaders. Though the streets were now devoid of Fire Troopers, Fire Nation colonists remained.
In one of his strokes of genius, or as his aides called just mere strokes, Bumi opened the city’s gates, stating that any one who wished to stay would be more than welcome to. Initially, only a few Fire families chose to remain behind as the bulk of their countrymen pulled out. Contrary to what they might have believed, the remaining settlers were never mistreated or prejudiced against.
That was the way of the city itself. A city built on the foundations of reconciliation and acceptance. And soon Omashu became an example for other city states to open their gates and embrace all other nationalities the only exceptions being the Twin Crystal Cities, not due to prejudice but more of the north and south poles being, as a Fire Nation trader once put it, “Too freaking cold. Beautiful places to visit and do business but move there? No thank you.”
In addition to assimilating the colonists, Bumi also allowed Fire Nation citizens to hold offices of authority, namely in the finance sectors. Many a fire nation man or woman soon found employment in the palace as efficiency experts. In Bumi’s own words,
“In all my life, I’ve never seen anyone else more anally retentive than a Fire Nationer. They’re stubborn, hotheaded and sticklers for standard practices. Oh and they make a mean spicy stew too.”
So it wasn’t much of a surprise that when Appa touched down in the palace courtyard, the gang was greeted by a most familiar face.
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“Greetings Avatar Aang. Always a pleasure to have you visit though unexpected.”
“Hi Mai!” Aang caught himself for a moment then returned Mai’s polite bow, “I mean, Greetings Baroness Mai.”
Mai gave Aang a slight nod before moving to address the others. Katara elbowed Zuko in the ribs,
“Did you know she was here?”
“Of course. Her family was one of the first to remain after the war. From what I recall, her father sent Uncle a letter of resignation from office. I guess he wanted to make a new life for them here. That and since Omashu was liberated before my father was defeated, I suppose he didn’t want to be tried and executed for failure.”
Katara hissed, “And you didn’t bother to tell me why?”
“Ummm...because it’s none of your business?”
“What?! How is this not my business?! As ambassador to YOUR nation, I should be privy to…”
Katara’s objections were cut off as Mai appeared in front of her almost out of nowhere, startling a yelp out of the waterbender,
“Gah! Don’t do that!”
“Do what, Ambassador Katara?” Droned the Baroness, her voice deadpan yet holding the slightest sliver of amusement as Katara’s distress. It took both women a mere fraction of a second to seize the other up. An entire person’s make up, wardrobe, demeanor, poise and what have yous. Their eyes just connected and the assessment was done. Men don’t understand or are even aware of it. It’s female thing.
“That! I swear you move a like shadow.”
Mai shrugged, “I’m a shadower. It’s my job. It’s what I do.” Toph chuckled, “Ooooh. I like her.”
The dark and dreary one bowed to her prince, “Your highness.”
“Hello Mai.”
And there it was. Something none of them had ever witnessed…well…not from Zuko anyway. The scarred prince sounded almost…nostalgic.
Wistful even.
Dropping all formalities, Mai looked up, “How’s Azula?”
Zuko’s expression dropped, letting out a small sigh, “Not much progress I’m afraid.” And if you didn’t catch it the first time, you would have missed Katara’s icy stare, almost as if willing daggers of ice at the Baroness’s close proximity to Zuko.
Then again, Toph never needed to ‘see’. Filing that little tidbit away for future use, most likely during another of Katara’s and Suki’s teasing sessions about her and Twinkles. Zuko’s voice broke her train of thought,
“I’m not sure I even want her cured.” He admitted. Mai caught Katara’s eyes and glared right back,
“You’re not to blame Zuko.”
Toph whispered into Aang’s ear, “It’s on now.” Referring to the silent battle between Water Ambassador and Fire Baroness.
“She’s…she’s nice now.” Zuko smiled to himself, secretly glad to have Azula just being a regular young woman instead of a sociopathic weapon of war but still sad that it took brain damage from Katara’s desperate blood bending to do so.
“But it’s just not her is it? Not who she really is.” Mai prompted.
“No. I suppose not. It is nice to have her like that. I guess I’m being selfish.”
“Ahem.”
All eyes turned to Katara, unceremoniously clearing her throat. Sensing the loss of a prime opportunity for black mail material Toph whined,
“Aww. Why’d you do that for?”
Ignoring the young heiress, Katara continued, “I don’t want to be a bother and all. But it’s been a long,” Blue eyes scanned for any signs of fatigue on the gang’s faces.
Not a drop.
Aang and Toph were talking animatedly about Spirits knew what kind of mayhem they’d inflict on the city.
Sokka and Suki were milling around the guards, shooting off rapid fire questions like, “That’s a nice sword. Where’d you get it?” and “Nice armor, it’d like great in blue don’t you think Suki?”
Even Hawky and Momo were feeling hyper enough to get into another one of their common fights.
“A long, long trip and…”
Inwardly Mai was strangling Katara but as a PROPER lady, she masked her expression and thoughts,
“Of course. Don’t let me keep you.” Mai regarded Zuko one more time before leaving, “It’s nice to see you Zuko.”
“Great!” Chimed Toph, already at the great doors, “Now where’s Bumi? There’s a little matter of earthbending I’d like to settle.”
A guard looked over at her, “The King? Oh he’s not in Omashu right now.”
“What?”
“He’s gone to visit relatives. Won’t be back for quite a while.”
Aang blinked, “I didn’t know Bumi had family out there.”
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“And I might have long lost relatives in this town?”
A rather bookish aide, pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, nodding,
“There might be your Highness. If I may be so bold, you have lived a long life. Who knows how large your family tree has grown. Remember the third cousin twice removed on your aunt’s daughter’s side?”
“Oh yes. The one with the son with the funny looking moustache. Bold fashion statement. I like it! Think I’ll make it mandatory back in Omashu. For women too!”
“Err…yes sir. We’re coming up on the town now, Sir.”
“What’s it called?”
“Gao Ling , Sir.”
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“Can a king just get up and leave?” Wondered Suki. Sokka shrugged, “I dunno. I’m not a king.”
“So who’s in charge?” Asked Aang making his way to the guard who promptly answered the Avatar,
“That would be Baroness Mai.”
“Bumi left the craziest city in the world in the hands of the dreariest person alive?” Toph boggled, “And where are those mail chutes Twinkles was yammering about?” She cocked her head at Aang demanding an answer,
“Well? You said they were made of earth and rumbled a lot. I should have felt them the moment I touched the ground. My vision should be a little fuzzy from all the vibrations. Because right now? I don’t feel anything.”
Aang sputtered before the guard unknowingly saved the Avatar from dying at the hands of a girl a head shorter than him. Death via volcano, noble and epic. Death from getting beaten to death by a seemingly frail blind girl, not so much.
“Oh, we had to stop using those. Too many accidents. Ever since someone started taking joyrides in them. Bad enough that even earthbenders get hurt, those who can’t bend end up in worse shape. Never caught the bugger who started the trend though. Sneaky blighter. I mean, who in their right minds would do such a dangerous thing?”
Aang shuffled his feet nervously, “Yeeeah.” Toph growled and hissed, “You are so going to make up for this.” The earthbending prodigy whirled on Katara, “And you. You just ticked off the only person who runs the place.”
Aang tried to placate the earthbender’s growing impatience, “I’m sure there’s other stuff to do.”
“Like what?” Toph narrowed her sightless eyes, shifting her feet into attack position, waiting for a darn good answer. Once again the nameless guard made his mark in history in saving Aang’s life…again.
“Well, there’s plenty to do. The secret tunnels have been turned into a tourist attraction.”
Another guard added her two coppers worth, “There’s always shopping. We’ve got an entire district for it now.”
“Yay!”
“You know, for a guy. You like shopping way too much. And do you have to clap your hands like that?”
“Shut up Zuko.”
The first guard nodded and went on, “My wife likes to drag…I mean take me along to her poetry classes. Some of our inns and restaurants host poetry nights.”
“Poetry too?”
“You know Suki, I’m beginning to see who’s the man in the relationship.”
“I know. It’s a burden. But I can handle it.”
“Oi! I can hear you!”
Ignoring the impending brawl between Zuko and Sokka, Aang motioned to one of the guards,
“Sooooo? Are we still allowed into the palace?” Aang had never announced his visits to Bumi’s palace beforehand. His supercentenarian of a friend had always kept his doors open for anytime he might drop by. But now seeing as the palace was under temporarily new management….
The guard laughed, “You’re the Avatar. And that’s Prince Zuko, Baroness Mai talks about him sometimes.” Katara faked a cough. The guard was blissfully unaware, “That’s the Blind Bandit, Toph Bei Fong, the world’s only Metal Bender, Lady Katara of the Southern Seas and Captain Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors. King Bumi left orders that you’d always be welcome.”
“What about me?” Huffed Sokka. The guard judged him critically and turned to Zuko, “And we have quarters for your servant here too. Quite well furnished I might add. Right next to the kitchens.”
“I am not his servant!” Sokka stop his fuming rant before it started, “Wait…did you say kitchens?”
“Okay! Great! We’ll just find our rooms then.” Aang reached for the door. The female guard winced, “Aaaah. Now that would be a problem.”
“It’s okay. I know where my room is.” Smiled Aang giving the doors a good push. He kept his smile at the second push when the doors failed to budge.
“Yes, you see….”
“Wow. Sturdy.” He said, pushing a third time. Smile wavering just a little. By the fifth push, Aang was sorely tempted to torch the massive wooden doors.
The female guard gave him an apologetic smile,
“I tried to tell you. As a new added security measure, the doors lock themselves. Can only be opened from the inside.”
“They do?” Sokka’s interest was piqued at the mention of new fangled technology. The male guard nodded,
“Yes. King Bumi had an inventor design the plans. Weird fella. Wears a piece of glass over one eye. Tried to tell me about exploding peanut sauce.”
“A monocle?” Suggested Zuko. Katara finished his question, “The Mechanist?”
“I think that’s his name. Anyway, the doors lock themselves only palace staff and the King himself hold copies of the keys.”
“Then why are you two here?”
The female guard cocked her head, “Why to keep people from trying to break the door down of course. And if anyone manages to steal the keys we have to be here to stop them. And no we don’t have the keys.”
“Is there anyone else who might have them?” Asked Suki.
“Sorry Captain. We’ve only got the keys to the guards’ quarters. The Captain of the Guard on duty would have a set of master keys but he’s currently down in the trade district settling a matter….I think…or was it the entertainment district?”
“So we can’t get in.” Stated Toph as a matter of fact-ly.
“Yes.” Nodded the female guard.
“Wow. I’ve been here a few minutes and I’m already irritated.” Grumbled Zuko. Katara snidely hushed him,
“You’re always irritated.”
“Well? What are we waiting for then?” Yelled Toph throwing her hands up. The other just regarded her blankly. Toph jabbed a slender finger at the doors,
“We’re not getting in until we find Little Miss Death or the Captain of the Guard. I don’t know about you but seeing as I don’t get to fight King Bumi or ride the mail chutes, this is the next best thing.”
“What is?” inquired Aang leaning on his staff. Toph grinned,
“Hide and seek.”
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“Why are we always paired together?”
Katara ignored Zuko question with gritted teeth as she stomped through the busy streets of Omashu’s richer community. Unlike old Ba Sing Se, Omashu did not segregate its citizens. But naturally richer folks tend to stay together so it was Bumi’s policy that the rich share their wealth and at the same time, those who weren’t that well off had to earn their share of Omashu’s wealth. No one would get something for nothing.
“Seriously. I mean it. Why us?”
Katara growled, still not looking at him but kept going,
“Because Sokka and Suki are engaged. Because leaving Aang or Toph with you would end in disaster. Either you’d get angry at Aang and burn something or Toph would make you look like a fool. And though the latter is much more appealing, we don’t have the time. Mai has the keys and we need the keys, so we need to find Mai. Why? Because we need to get into the main palace and to our rooms. Because I’m dirty, sticky and I need a bath. NOW!”
To his credit, Zuko barely flinched under her verbal onslaught, “You’re a waterbender.” He pointed out. “You can just GET water.”
Katara flicked droplets of her sweat at him, “That’s my water. Like it? Have some more.” Zuko winced as salty drops of sweat struck his face.
“What’s with you? Ever since we hit this city, you’ve been cranky, irritable and down right unpleasant….” Zuko leaned in closer to whisper conspiratorially, prompting Katara to flush a little at the nearness,
“You’re not having your….special time are you? Because you’re a bit early if you are.”
There’s a bigger legend than that of Avatar Aang. Though not as grand or epic, it’s one of the most talked about.
The Legend of the Slap Heard Around the World.
Also known as Prince Zuko Doesn’t Understand Women.
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Lady Dowager Ursa’s hand wavered a little, nearly dropping the thin calligraphy brush grasped in it. In the middle of the garden, her second born stopped her intensive firebending drills at the sound of her mother’s light gasp.
“Mother?” Azula relaxed herself letting any excess chi to harmlessly dissipate, “Mom?” She repeated with concern. Can you believe that? Concern. From Azula.
“Mom? What’s wrong?”
“Oh?” Ursa gathered herself, “Nothing. I just…I just felt something. I think your brother’s in trouble…again.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?” Ursa looked at her daughter with imploring eyes, “Are you feeling alright dear?” Azula shook her head,
“I feel fine. But for some odd reason and I know it’s wrong, but when you said Zuzu was in trouble…I…”
“Yes?” Ursa gently encouraged Azula to go on. Maybe her daughter was remembering bits of her old life. The royal physicians had said she would in time. And while Ursa knew what Azula used to be, she was a mother and mothers are never fine with their children being hurt or ill.
“Well, I kinda felt like laughing. I feel bad now.”
Ursa smiled warmly and hugged her daughter, “No. Don’t be. Besides, somehow I think your brother deserves whatever he’s gotten himself into.”
Azlua smirked, yes THAT smirk, met her mother’s golden eyes,
“I’m sure he does.”
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