Setting
Formerly the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se and its surrounding areas now function as its own independent nation. Here you will find sprawling cities behind giant, earthen walls, and the highest concentration of people in the entire world. Since the fall of the Earth Empire, many of the City's internal walls that divided its citizenry have been torn down. Now only the wealthiest of citizens live in areas set off from the rest, living in estates that are very much like private islands among an ocean of houses. Here, one could easily become lost among the crowds and perhaps never be found again. Remember to keep your feet on the ground and the wall in sight during your trip to Ba Sing Se.
Minimap
northwest |
north |
northeast |
west |
You are here. |
east |
southwest |
south |
southeast |
Ba Sing Se is a part of 
Avatar: A Tale of Two Flowers.
1 Characters Here
Rao Shu Hong [0] "That's mine."
Start Character Here »
- 51 posts here • Page 3 of 3 • 1, 2, 3
Leaving Ba Sing Se felt like a bad dream that Chiyo couldn't wake up from.
Wen Li returned to the garage not long after Bunta and Izaya worked out their payment, announced that they should be leaving and made the preparations to do so. Chiyo eyed the woman warily, and seeming to realize herself, Wen kindly put her weapons away in the trunk of the Auto and plopped herself into the passenger seat. It seemed they were leaving and Wen was coming along--even if no one asked her to. Ru and Izaya took this in with silence. No assenting, but also not stopping the woman. Fair enough.
It was as if her siblings had a second sense--because just as Bunta was shuffling Chiyo into the back seat of the car ( his eyes watery, but a proud smile plastered under his beard) the four children came piling into the garage. They were unusually quiet and somber, as if picking up on the energy of the room. The youngest, Tu, had noodles on his face still from their obvious trip to Gen's stand.
"Where are you going, Chi?" Tu quipped, eyes wide. Chiyo felt her eyes water dangerously. Away. Probably forever she thought mierably, but remained silent, unsure of what to actually tell them. Bunta graciously stepped in, shooing them back inside. Insisting it was none of their business and that they would talk about it later over dinner. Food motivated Cho and Jun quickly, and they nodded their understanding before heading back into the house. Tu, however, was more stubborn. He was always more attached to Chiyo than the others being the youngest. Tatti, being the oldest after Chiyo, had a look of understanding on her face. Chiyo and Tatti shared a look, a silent conversation, a silent goodbye. Maybe Tatti had always known Chiyo was different. Or at least suspected. Bunta probably knew too--but said nothing. The same fears of starvation, a split family, a hard goodbye probably kept Bunta from addressing his daughter's burnt bedsheets, or the scortched sleeve of a hoodie.
When Tu stubbornly planted himself at Chiyo's feet, demanding answers, Tatti scooped the small boy up from behind in silence. Tu, sensing that the departure of his oldest sister was not going to be answered, softly began to cry, demanding in his small voice over and over to go with her. "Me too! Me too, Chi! I want to go with Chi!" Even as Tatti closed the door linking the house and the garage behind her, Chiyo could faintly hear him keeping on with his small tantrum. Bunta sighed heavily, patting Chiyo on the arm before gently leading her into the back seat of the Auto. Toph had somehow managed to wriggle into the seat too and once Bunta closed the door behind her, the little badgermole wriggled his way into his mistress's lap. Chiyo accepted a spare hoodie from her father through the window, as well as her (somewhat tattered) blanket, rolled tightly into a bundle. Bunta eyed the small animal in her lap, but said nothing before patting the back of the auto and bending open the garage door.
As Ru pulled the car out of the garage and into the street, Chiyo watched Scrappers dissapear until she could only see the edge of the metal-bent S over the rooftops behind them. She was numbly away of Izaya to her left, of the nudge of Toph's soft head as he urged her attention. Chiyo felt numb. Probably dehyrated a little as she could summon no more tears despite the weight of her sadness. Tired to the bone, but incapable of sleep. Worried this may be the last time she saw Ba Sing Se, Chiyo barely blinked as she watched the city roll by the windows. She absorbed it all, memorizing it, well until the city was just a dot on the horizon behind them. Beside her, Chiyo vaguely heard Izaya's even breathing. She suspected he was sleeping, or at least resting. A glance told her that his eyes were indeed closed. Chiyo rested her head against the cool window, staring out at the passing landscapes.
Soon, Ru broke the silence that had otherwise had only been punctured by Izaya's even breathing and the rattle-thunk of the wheels on the uneven earth. Chiyo felt too exhausted to move her head to look at the waterbender. She watched instead as her breath slightly fogged up the glass on the window, her forehead still pressed to the glass. A grief-stricken relfection of herself, stared back. She registered the question Ru posted to Wen, still unmoving, still resisting sleep, and listened for Wen's reply. Chiyo was also wondering this--how long had Wen known? Until today, Chiyo had thought she had been doing a fine job of squashing her "avatarness". It was more than dissapointing to find out she was spotted for what--or who--she was. Chiyo thought it best to keep quiet as the two discussed. They probably assumed she was just as asleep as Izaya. Part of her wanted to be. Wanted to slip into the sweet oblivion that sleep could bring, so this sad emptiness in her chest would stop aching for a time. Only her anxiety kept her alert, fretting that if she slept she might miss something vital. Or that she might close her eyes and forget how her family looked.
Wen Li returned to the garage not long after Bunta and Izaya worked out their payment, announced that they should be leaving and made the preparations to do so. Chiyo eyed the woman warily, and seeming to realize herself, Wen kindly put her weapons away in the trunk of the Auto and plopped herself into the passenger seat. It seemed they were leaving and Wen was coming along--even if no one asked her to. Ru and Izaya took this in with silence. No assenting, but also not stopping the woman. Fair enough.
It was as if her siblings had a second sense--because just as Bunta was shuffling Chiyo into the back seat of the car ( his eyes watery, but a proud smile plastered under his beard) the four children came piling into the garage. They were unusually quiet and somber, as if picking up on the energy of the room. The youngest, Tu, had noodles on his face still from their obvious trip to Gen's stand.
"Where are you going, Chi?" Tu quipped, eyes wide. Chiyo felt her eyes water dangerously. Away. Probably forever she thought mierably, but remained silent, unsure of what to actually tell them. Bunta graciously stepped in, shooing them back inside. Insisting it was none of their business and that they would talk about it later over dinner. Food motivated Cho and Jun quickly, and they nodded their understanding before heading back into the house. Tu, however, was more stubborn. He was always more attached to Chiyo than the others being the youngest. Tatti, being the oldest after Chiyo, had a look of understanding on her face. Chiyo and Tatti shared a look, a silent conversation, a silent goodbye. Maybe Tatti had always known Chiyo was different. Or at least suspected. Bunta probably knew too--but said nothing. The same fears of starvation, a split family, a hard goodbye probably kept Bunta from addressing his daughter's burnt bedsheets, or the scortched sleeve of a hoodie.
When Tu stubbornly planted himself at Chiyo's feet, demanding answers, Tatti scooped the small boy up from behind in silence. Tu, sensing that the departure of his oldest sister was not going to be answered, softly began to cry, demanding in his small voice over and over to go with her. "Me too! Me too, Chi! I want to go with Chi!" Even as Tatti closed the door linking the house and the garage behind her, Chiyo could faintly hear him keeping on with his small tantrum. Bunta sighed heavily, patting Chiyo on the arm before gently leading her into the back seat of the Auto. Toph had somehow managed to wriggle into the seat too and once Bunta closed the door behind her, the little badgermole wriggled his way into his mistress's lap. Chiyo accepted a spare hoodie from her father through the window, as well as her (somewhat tattered) blanket, rolled tightly into a bundle. Bunta eyed the small animal in her lap, but said nothing before patting the back of the auto and bending open the garage door.
As Ru pulled the car out of the garage and into the street, Chiyo watched Scrappers dissapear until she could only see the edge of the metal-bent S over the rooftops behind them. She was numbly away of Izaya to her left, of the nudge of Toph's soft head as he urged her attention. Chiyo felt numb. Probably dehyrated a little as she could summon no more tears despite the weight of her sadness. Tired to the bone, but incapable of sleep. Worried this may be the last time she saw Ba Sing Se, Chiyo barely blinked as she watched the city roll by the windows. She absorbed it all, memorizing it, well until the city was just a dot on the horizon behind them. Beside her, Chiyo vaguely heard Izaya's even breathing. She suspected he was sleeping, or at least resting. A glance told her that his eyes were indeed closed. Chiyo rested her head against the cool window, staring out at the passing landscapes.
Soon, Ru broke the silence that had otherwise had only been punctured by Izaya's even breathing and the rattle-thunk of the wheels on the uneven earth. Chiyo felt too exhausted to move her head to look at the waterbender. She watched instead as her breath slightly fogged up the glass on the window, her forehead still pressed to the glass. A grief-stricken relfection of herself, stared back. She registered the question Ru posted to Wen, still unmoving, still resisting sleep, and listened for Wen's reply. Chiyo was also wondering this--how long had Wen known? Until today, Chiyo had thought she had been doing a fine job of squashing her "avatarness". It was more than dissapointing to find out she was spotted for what--or who--she was. Chiyo thought it best to keep quiet as the two discussed. They probably assumed she was just as asleep as Izaya. Part of her wanted to be. Wanted to slip into the sweet oblivion that sleep could bring, so this sad emptiness in her chest would stop aching for a time. Only her anxiety kept her alert, fretting that if she slept she might miss something vital. Or that she might close her eyes and forget how her family looked.
- 51 posts here • Page 3 of 3 • 1, 2, 3