The Air Nation has its first recruit. Team Avatar's search for new airbenders in the Earth Kingdom led them to Kai, an orphan with a shady past. And Kitty still has yet to tell anyone about her secret new abilities. Will she eventually tell them, or will she hold it in forever? Meanwhile, Lord Zuko is hot on the trail of three escaped criminals who pose a great threat to the Avatar. Unaware of the danger to her, Korra continues her mission to find more airbenders. Next stop, the walled city of Ba Sing Se.
...
"Why didn't you tell us you can airbend?!" Korra asks angrily.
I look around nervously at everyone. They all look so angry- mad actually, and they're all 100x bigger than me, the size of buildings! There's Bolin, there's Mako, Tenzin, my sister, even my parents. They're all here to interrogate me, tell me my fate.
"I'm sorry, I was just scared!"
"There's no excuse, you lied!" Korra's voice echoes.
They all circle around me and point down at me. The closer they get to me, the smaller I get.
"I'm sorry!"
I couldn't tell them the truth. If I did, they'd send me away. I had to keep it a secret!
"And you thought I was a liar!" Kai yells at me, coming out of nowhere.
"I couldn't tell any of you!" I try to explain.
Meelo and Ikki come out of the shadows and they start prancing around me. "Liar, liar! Kitty's a liar!" They chant with sickly sweet smiles painted across their faces. I try to mute them out by plugging my ears, but it doesn't work!
Suddenly two huge muscly men make there way out of the darkness, and they quickly lock my arms in theirs.
"Let me go!" I fight. "Where are they taking me!?"
"You're going back to the compound! You will never see the light of day again!" My father booms.
"No! I won't go back, you can't make me!"
Out of nowhere, a younger version of myself appears. She, as in me, looks so sad. Like I've been crying, and she clutches her old raggedy teddy bear and blanket in her tiny arms.
"Bye, bye," the younger me says, and she waves sadly as the men drag me away.
...
I wake up in a sweat, and I look around in a panic. Ok, I'm still in the airship. My secret is still a secret. I don't know how much more I can take of this. I have to tell someone. If I don't, I'll probably explode! Sure Iroh knows, but what is he going to do, walk out of the Spirit World and tell everyone?
... He could do that, couldn't he? I mean, the portals are open now. He could do anything he wants at this point- calm down, Kitty. You're driving yourself mad.
"Are you ok?"
I look up quickly, startled by the voice. Oh, it's just Jinora. I turn over to face her. Look normal. There's no way you can tell her what's going on. If I do plan to tell anyone, it cannot be anyone related to Tenzin.
"I'm fine, just a nightmare," I tell her as calmly as possible.
"Oh, I'm sorry. What was it about?" She asks innocently.
"Um- I don't really want to talk about it, but thank you."
"Ok, well if you need anything. Goodnight, Kitty.''
"Goodnight."
I turn back over and let out a long awaited sigh. That was a close one.
...
We've finally made it to Ba Sing Se, and I am so relieved! Not just because I've been stuck on an airship for the past week and in desperate need of new companionship, but also because of the mystery and history of Ba Sing Se. Um, does no one remember Long Fang? He managed to run Ba Sing Se without actually running Ba Sing Se, and then a 14 year old managed to invade the 'impenetrable' city. This city's government has many secrets, and there's always been some funny business going on here.
"Hey!" Bolin greats me happily as he joins me at the railing, looking over Be Sing Se. "Why so quiet? We're in Ba Sing Se, this is where my family is! I can't wait for you to meet them!"
"I'm really happy for you Bolin, truly. I can't wait to meet them," I tell him genuinely.
I've been a bad friend. Bolin and Mako's family are out there, and Bolin has been so excited about it. I've been so focused on this airbending thing that I haven't been paying any attention to my best friend.
"Are you sure you're ok? I don't want to upset you, but I've noticed that ever since we came back from the south, you've been different. You've been distant, and you seem distracted."
Make something up.
"You're right. It's just really weird that.. That my uncle was destroyed.. And my connection with the spirits has been really overwhelming. But who cares about that now," I try to perk up. "Come on, we're in Ba Sing Se! Your family is down there, that's so exciting!"
I grab his hand and drag him towards the others. I need to put this pity party on hold! My best friends family are here! That's huge! I mean, I know my life isn't perfect, but I couldn't imagine where I'd be with out my family. Mako and Bolin are both so strong.
I look down at Ba Sing Se from our airship, and it's definitely... there.
"Uhh, the Lower Ring looks terrible," Korra says.
"You read my mind," I mumble.
"Yeah," Bolin agrees. "I can smell it from here. No wonder dad left."
Moments later as the airship continues to fly over the ring, we make it over the inner wall of the Middle Ring. I can tell you now, it smells a lot better. As we move along, the smell is completely gone, and the ground becomes more lavish.
"Wow. Now this is more like it," Kai says.
This place is beautiful, but obviously their tax money is going into the palace rather than helping the citizens.
...
Finally, we're off the airship! I've missed being on the ground, and look! There are other people here! Glorious!
"Avatar Korra, Master Tenzin, it is a pleasure to welcome you and your party to the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se," a well dressed palace man says politely as he approaches us. "I'm Grand Secretariat Gun."
"Thank you," we reply and bow in return.
"Aah, it's got that Upper Ring smell," Bolin says as he walks up with Naga and Pabu who is perched on his shoulder.
"Oh no, the queen hates animals. You'll have to get them out of sight."
She hates animals? How can anyone hate such amazing creatures? Especially Naga and Pabu! And there's no way anyone could ever hate Bud!
"Well, I can just stash Pabu in my shirt, these two are going to be a little difficult," Bolin gestures toward Naga.
"Come with me. Hurry, I'll take you to your quarters."
We walk across the property following Gun, and I admit, this place is really nice. I've never seen anything like it. It's different from the south, even the air temples. I just don't see how the queen can live this lavishly while her people are suffering. I'd feel so guilty.
"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- Better yet, just don't eat."
This poor man. He's way overworked. No amount of money is worth this kind of treatment, but I guess it's the fact that she's the queen and she could literally kill him if he disobeys her. So there's that...
"Seems like an awful lot of rules," Korra notices.
"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," Gun pleads with us.
"Don't worry, we'll be on our best behavior," I try to calm him down.
We'll have to keep an eye on Kai though.
"Here we are," Gun says as we make it to the inside of our temporary living area.
"Ooh, very swanky," Bolin says, impressed.
The rest of the team dispersed throughout the house to check out the other rooms while I stay next to my sister.
"Avatar Korra, if you'll follow me. We don't want to keep Her Majesty waiting."
"I'm going, too!" I tell them.
We make our way back to the courtyard, and there she is; the Earth Queen. Her outfit screams royalty. Her green patterned clothing matches her extremely long nails that are decorated with different charms and gold pieces. Her makeup is exceptional, too bad it doesn't cover that frown and terrible attitude that causes her to mistreat her workers and neglect her citizens by building a barrier based on financial status.
"Your Majesty, may I present Avatar Korra and her sister."
I and my sister bow out of respect, but the queen, who still rudely has her back to us, does not pay us any mind.
"You're ruining the koi pond!" She barks at one of her employees. "Completely overshadowed by the topiaries! Guards, take that buffoon away and get me someone who knows what they're doing!"
Two Dai Li agents grab the offending worker and escort him away. Oh my gosh, she's terrible. I hope he'll be ok!
"You," she yells at another. "Rip everything out and start over!"
"I am surrounded by idiots," She huffs.
She finally turns to us and acknowledges Korra.
"So, I finally get a visit from the Avatar. Let me guess, you want something."
"Well actually Your Majesty, I was hoping you could-"
"I hardly think you're in a position to ask me for favors after everything the last Avatar did to the Earth Kingdom."
"What exactly did he do?" I ask.
"He and Fire Lord Zuko took advantage of my father's weakness and stole our lands to make their own little empire. The United Republic is Earth Kingdom territory!"
"Your father and Avatar Aang were friends tho-"
I was going to continue correcting her, but my sister nudges me with her elbow, and I decided not to get into it.
"Excuse me, your majesty," I say instead.
"I'm not sure what I can do about that," Korra says.
"Not that you care, but what's left of my kingdom is falling to ruin. Roving bands of barbarians are raiding villages in the countryside. And now, some of my subjects are refusing to pay their taxes."
"I'm very sorry for your troubles, but actually..."
"No, to your left! Your other left!" She yells out to her servants again, and then turn back to Korra and I.
"Do you have these problems with your servants? Does this one give you problems?" She asks Korra referring to me.
"I am not her servant," I correct.
"Kitty is my sister, and we don't really have servants," Korra says more patiently. "But your Majesty, the reason for our visit is that we're trying to gather all of the new airbenders who are popping up in the Earth Kingdom, and we'd like your help finding the ones in Ba Sing Se."
"Airbenders in Ba Sing Se, where did you hear that?"
There's no way she doesn't know, right? Of course she knows.. Of course, there is the fact that her father didn't know there was a war that was going on for one hundred years, so would it be so shocking that she's out of the loop too?
"Before we left Republic City, we got some reports," I explain to her.
"Hmm. Well before I even consider helping you, I'll need you to do something for me."
Here we go.
"Oh, of course," Korra says. "What is it?"
"I have a vault full of tax money sitting in a town south of here. Barbarians have stolen my past two shipments. Go collect my money and bring it back here."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Korra agrees.
The both of us walk away and back to the others. That entire conversation was useless, and I cannot believe we wasted so much time.
"Well," I say, breaking our silence. "That went terrible."
...
I decided to take a break from her majesty and join Mako and Bolin in finding Kai. I'm really trying to be patient with him because of his upbringing and what not, but come on. We saved him from going to jail. He couldn't stay out of trouble for three seconds? I suppose it is better than being around the palace all day, and hearing the Earth Queen barking orders all day.
"Kai!" Bolin calls out to him on the bridge.
"Kai, I was just kidding! I promise I won't beat you up if you come out," I call for him taking my turn.
I look over to where a few passers make their way through the upper ring. I spot Kai. I watch confusingly as he quickly bends a puff of air up a man's shirt, making his belongings go everywhere, including a small sack of money to which he quickly pockets for himself before helping the man recovers from the sudden wind that he brought on.
"Mako, look!" I yell as I point to where Kai is.
Tenzin is going to freak if Kai gets away. I'm the one who helped convince him to let him come with us. Robbing and stealing is not a good look for an airbender, just think about Kyoshi's mother.
"Kai!" Mako yells at him, and we make our way over to him.
Kai grins widely and just like that, he runs off. Ewww, when I get my hands on him-
"Get back here!" I command.
"Kai, it's us. Kitty, Mako, and Bolin, your new family," Bolin says a little more nicely. Bless his sweet heart.
I track him and watch as he turns into a corner, so we do as well. Kai slides underneath a rickshaw, but Mako and I jump to the side of the wall and over the rickshaw. Kai does a barrel roll to evade us, and he runs off down an alleyway. We're such cops. Bolin on the other hand trails behind us and politely squeezes his through the crowded group of people.
Caught him!
As Kai brisks across the monorail, it's evident he didn't see us and he's shocked when he bumps into Mako.
"What are you doing running around robbing people?" Mako asks him angrily.
"I was just practicing my airbending," he lies with a fake grin painted across his face.
"Yeah right. Let's go," I demand. "You know, you could be a little bit more grateful and stay out of trouble since we did save you from jail."
Mako grabs Kai's top and tries to drag him away.
"You're in big trouble," he tells him.
"Hey!" Mako suddenly exclaims.
Kai slides out of his top only to leave it in Mako's hand, and he swiftly airbends the three of us to the other side of the train. Everyone sitting in the monorail looks just as stunned as we do. Kai runs out of the monorail, and before we could exit, the doors shut. And so our ride to who knows where begins.
"Hey!" Mako yells again and bangs his hands on the side window.
I scowl at Kai as he gives us a jerky smile and waves at the three of us as the train leaves the station.
"Your little brother, huh?" Mako huffs at Bolin frustratingly.
"Yeah ... just a lovable little scamp, isn't he?"
"I thought you said everyone deserves a second chance?" Mako says to me.
"Did I?" I ask rhetorically. "What I really meant was, some people deserve seconds chances, while others deserve a punch in the face!... And then a second chance."
"Express line to the lower ring. Next up, Poh Kong Station!"
Ugh, might as well get comfortable.
...