Fire in the Sky (TLOK)

Chapter 36: Ba Sing Se is full of liars

Morning breached the airship. Yuki awoke with a jolt, neck stiff from sleeping upright by the window. Her knives were on the floor, wooden board littered with marks from the night before. She stretched, rubbing her eyes. No nightmares this time, just lonely thoughts. Yuki decided to take that as an improvement.

She headed back to the sleeping quarters, finding clothes to change into and a water basin to wash her face. She headed upstairs to the roof of the airship, finding everyone else there.

Jinora was helping Bumi and Kai train on the roof. The rest were watching Ba Sing Se come into view.

Yuki joined Mako, Bolin and Korra, peering down at the large expanse of wall below them.

"This is it Mako!" Bolin said excitedly. "We made it! This is where Dad grew up! Come here, look! Look!!!" Mako chuckled, letting his brother jerk his arm to and fro.

"Okay, calm down, I'm looking." The Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se came into view.

"I wonder how many air benders are down there." Korra peered down. Tenzin joined the kids with mild curiosity.

Ba Sing Se had always been huge. Despite their height in the sky, the group was only really able to see the Lower ring of the city. Everything looked so small, cluttered, smoke billowing from a few buildings. Yuki wrinkled her nose once they were hovering over the Lower ring completely. A terrible stench was wafting from down below.

"Uhh, the Lower Ring looks terrible." Korra recoiled.

"Yea," Bolin said, plugging his nose, "I can smell it from here. No wonder Dad left."

The airship soon left the Lower ring, crossing into the inner wall where the Middle ring was. To everyone's relief, the stench did not cross over.

The airship made it to the Royal Place a few minutes later. Everyone descended down the ramp. To greet them, was a well-dressed Earth Kingdom man met us. He bowed,

"Avatar Korra, Master Tenzin, it is a pleasure to welcome you and your party to the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. I'm Grand Secretariat Gun."

Korra bowed to Gun. "Thank you."

Gun scanned his eyes over us, his eyes landing on Bolin and Pabu. He widened his eyes, looking stressed,

"Oh no, the queen hates animals. You'll have to get them out of sight."

Bolin scratched his head. "Well, I can just stash Pabu in my shirt." He glanced at Naga and Oogi. "These two are going to be a little tougher."

Gun shook his head and turned around. "Ugh, fine. So long as they are out of sight. Come with me, hurry, I'll take you to your quarters."

The group followed Gun. The stiff secretariat began to explain several things, briskly walking through the halls.

"Now, when you meet the queen make sure you bow low enough, that's very important, and don't look her in the eye, she can't stand that. If any food is served, don't eat before she eats. Well actually, I have to taste her food first, then she eats, then you can eat.." He paused, "Better yet, just don't eat." Korra and Yuki exchanged puzzled looks.

"Seems like an awful lot of rules." Korra noted.

Gun sighed, "Oh, you have no idea. And I'm the one who gets in trouble when people don't follow them, so please, please, for my sake try not to upset Her Majesty."