Avatar: The Parallels

Chapter 27: Muu

I skipped the episode "The Drill" because I didn't really know what I could do with my characters in that episode. There wasn't much room for differentiation. Basically the only thing that happens is the Gaang stops Azula, and Jet starts stalking Iroh, Zuko, and Ryuu. Just wanted to explain myself so that no one got upset about me skipping this episode.

Tikaani's POV:

"Look! The inner wall!" Katara cheered exuberantly as the train continued to speed along its track. I eagerly looked out the window and saw the wall approaching fast.We had been sitting in this train all night. My back was killing me and I couldn't wait to get to the city so I could have a proper night's sleep. Red had fallen asleep, I couldn't imagine how. The train was made of rock for Pete's sake...

"Finally!" I cried excitedly. I shook Red's shoulder, but she remained sound asleep. "I can't believe we've actually made it to Ba Sing Se after all we've been through!" It had been close to four or five weeks since we'd left the desert. I had never realized from watching the episodes that it had taken so long, but a lot of extra stuff happened between episodes.

"Hey, don't jinx it!" Sokka snapped irritably. "We could still be attacked by some giant exploding Fire Nation spoon or find out the city's been submerged in an ocean full of killer shrimp." He theorized, trying to make spooky hand motions.

"You've been hitting the cactus juice again?" Toph questioned skeptically.

"Hey, I'm just saying! Weird stuff happens to us." As if to prove what Sokka had said, a heavy man sucking on a piece of corn lumbered down the aisle and plopped down in between him and Toph.

"Red." I nudged her again. She didn't budge. "Ba Sing Se. Jet."

"Whazzat?" She sat up straight and looked around.

"We're almost in Ba Sing Se."

"Ba Sing Se?!" She looked out the window excitedly and stared at the wall in awe. "Well it took us long enough! Oh, I can't wait to see Jet, and get Walt back... LAKE LAOGAI IS GOING TO BE THE BEST EPISODE EVER!!!"

"It always was your favorite episode." I nodded slowly. "So... Are you going to tell me how you plan on saving Jet?" I asked curiously. Every other time that I'd tried to get her to tell me, she always said she'd tell me when she was ready.

"Not yet." She shook her head slowly.

"He's a giant bison!" I was about to say something else, but Sokka's voice in the background interrupted me. "Where could someone possibly hide him?" Just as he said that, the train sped through a tunnel. We emerged on the other side to see miles and miles of tall buildings stretched in all directions. I could only see a sliver of white on the horizon, which was another one of Ba Sing Se's walls, probably the one blocking off the poor side of the city. "Oh..." Sokka muttered as we gaped at the spacious surroundings. The train kept barreling forward, finally slowing down as we approached the station in the center of the city.

"This place looks amazing!" I exclaimed as the train came to a halt. It was so much more impressive now than what it was on the TV screen! We walked out of the train and to the edge of the station to get a better look at the city.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be." Toph grumbled as she followed us unenthusiastically.

"What's the problem? It's amazing!!!" Sokka exclaimed as he looked out over the city.

"Just a bunch of walls and rules! You wait, you'll get sick of it in a couple of days." Toph growled as she stroked Momo, who was sitting on her shoulder.

"I'm already sick of it." Red groaned. "I've always been more of a forest-type person, so me and cities don't really mix too well. Plus, rules suck." I knew Red was happy to be here because of her reunion with Jet and Walnut, but I also knew that what she said about cities was true. She was always more of a foresty, country-loving, ew-a-city-get-me-away-from-here type of girl. "The sooner we find Appa and Walt, the sooner we can leave."