𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐒 // zuko

The Great City of Ba Sing Se

the great city of ba sing se

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"Here it is, folks. The great city of Ba Sing Se!" 

All Saria could do was stare as the train ran through the city, her body paralysed in awe of the populated city she had learned so much about. 

Zuko, on the other hand, couldn't concentrate on his surroundings. His gaze kept shifting to the girl next to him, silently observing how happy she looked. He missed the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled, lighting up the room around her. Catching himself staring, Zuko cleared his throat and forced his eyes away from Saria, following her eyesight into the great city. 

The three, along with the rest of the refugees seeking shelter, departed from the train once they reached station. As they entered the town in the lower ring, Zuko's face scrunched up with disgust from the unclean scents that infiltrated his nose. He brought his hand up to his face, blocking his breathing. 

"This place is disgusting." He muffled under his hand. Saria ignored his comment and observed their surroundings. Her heart grew heavy as she looked over the vast population of poverty, the people of Ba Sing Se living off scraps. 

As the trio walked together, however, Saria couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Eventually, they reached the very, very small apartment in which they would be spending their days in the Earth Kingdom capital. To no ones surprise, Zuko let out a shriek of shock as he gazed around the apartment.

"I can't believe I went from living in complete royalty to... this in a matter of months! This is embarrassing!" Zuko proclaimed, his face turning red with shame. All Saria could do was chuckle, which made him more embarrassed. 

The comfort that came with being around Zuko and Iroh again was something the girl couldn't help but enjoy. It gave her stability and prevented her thoughts from straying, which they most frequently did. Even the feeling that she was being watched went away.

But Jet never looked away from her.

After a few days of staying at Ba Sing Se, Iroh and Zuko left Saria to wander through the Lower Ring. Iroh held a large vase with several orange flowers, which Zuko stared cooly at. 

"I want our place to look nice, in case someone brings home a lady friend!" The old man nudges the boy with his elbow with a smirk on his face, but receives no response. "Or maybe you can hold them for the lady friend who's there now. Saria seems happy here, it doesn't seem like she wants to leave."

"This city is a prison. I don't want us to make a life here." Zuko replied bleakly, trying to imagine a future where him and Saria could live amongst the poor people of the capital.

"Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not. Now, come on, I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon!"

Zuko rolled his eyes and fastened his pace, oblivious to the freedom fighter staring at them angrily.

"Look at them. firebenders living right under everyone's noses." Jet scoffed as he watched them walk away, with his friends Smellerbee and Longshot behind him.

"Jet, you saw a man with a hot cup of tea. It doesn't prove he's a firebender. And what if he is, are we supposed to attack them? I thought we were starting over here, changing our ways." Smellerbee replied.

"We are. When I get the evidence I need, I'll report them to the police and let them handle it. Then we can get Saria out of danger." Jet turns his head to face the pair, looking for reassurance from his friends. Smellerbee and Longshot exchanged glances. "Okay?"