Hot Sands and Hard Rocks

Fastest Way to Ba Sing Se

Growing up in a desert has never felt that bad, but this is really making me happy with my decision to join the Avatar. This amazing pond, and the beautiful waterfall... Nothing like the sand pits back home.

The scenery seems to have everyone in a good mood. Aang is back to smiling, and Katara seems especially pleased with being able to bend so much water.

Downtime is a well needed luxury that we all make use of. Sokka is scanning a map to help us get to Ba Sing Se, and Toph even has her feet in the water, swaying them around. Aang dives in, and emerges surround in a block of ice. As much as I enjoy the water, drowning isn't really my thing, so I'll stay out here.

"Waterbending bomb!" Shouts Katara as she jumps into the water, making a huge splash that throws Aang right in front of me, shattering his ice.

"Are you gonna join in?" He asks me.

"I would, but water doesn't isn't exactly commonplace for desert-goers like me." I tell him.

"That's too bad!" He says, and quickly dives back in.

"Sure, just soak the five thousand year old maps from an ancient library!" Sokka complains to his sister.

Katara wrings the water from her hair as she exits the pond. "Sorry." She says as she bends the water out of the paper.

"So did you figure out which route we're gonna take?" Aang asks Sokka.

"Well we just got out of the desert, so we should be right around here." The warrior points to the map. "And we need to go to Ba Sing Se." He then moves his finger to a different part of the map. "Looks like the only passage connecting the north and south is this sliver here. The 'Serpent's Pass'." He says.

"Serpent?" I ask.

"Does sound kinda fishy." Aang says.

"You sure that's the way to go?" Toph asks.

I didn't even notice her walk over here..

"Well without Appa-" He starts.

"Shut up about Appa! Can you at least try to be sensitive!?" She argues with her brother as she steps closer to him.

We all look towards the young Avatar.

"Katara it's ok. I know I was upset about Appa before but now I just want to get to Ba Sing Se and tell the earth king about the eclipse." He assures.

"Then onwards to Ba Sing Se! No distractions." States Sokka.

"Hello there fellow refugees!" We hear from behind us.

A small group of three people were approaching us.

"My family is trying to get to Ba Sing Se before my wife, Ying, has her baby." The father states.

"Great! We can travel through the Serpent's Pass together!" Katara happily exclaims.

"The Serpent's Pass? Only the truly desperate take that deadly route!" The man says.

"Man I was really trying to believe in your navigation skills Sokka." I say.

Toph punches Sokka's arm. "'Deadly route'. Great choice Sokka!"

"Well, we ARE desperate!" The nonbender defends, rubbing his arm.

"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay. Ferries take refugees across the lake. It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se!" The stranger says.

"Peaceful ferry ride, or deadly pass, I wonder.." Katara says, glaring at her brother.

"Come on guys give him a break. His map skills are bad enough, no need to rub it in." I laugh.