Balance | Old Version

Chapter 67 (The Serpents Pass)

Elua's POV.

I was sitting on a rock with Sokka and Toph while Aang and Katara were swimming. Sokka was looking at a map, trying to figure out the best way to get to Ba Sing Sa without Appa. My wound was better but, it was still healing and Sokka was, once again, being overprotective of me.
"Waterbending bomb! Yeah!" Katara shouts as she jumps into the water and makes a huge wave splash over us.
"Sure, 5000-year-old maps from the spirit library, just splash some water on 'em," Sokka says annoyed as he glares at Katara.
"Sorry," Katara says as she waterbends the water off the maps.

"So, did you figure out what route we're gonna take?" Aang asks Sokka as he puts the map down on a rock.
"Okay. We just got out of the desert, so we must be around here, and we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here," Sokka says as he points to the map. "It looks like the only passage connecting the South to the North is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass," He explains, pointing to a small line of land going over the water.
"You're sure that's the best way to go?" I ask him.
"It's the only way. I mean it's not like we have Appa to fly us there," Sokka says, Katara and I give him a look.

"Shush up about Appa. Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" Katara whispers to him sharply.
"Katara, it's ok. I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse," Aang states, we look at him surprised.
"Oh, well, ok. I'm glad you're doing better," Katara says astonished that he was doing better.
"Then to Ba Sing Se we go, no more distractions," Sokka says as he rolls the map up.
"Hello, there fellow refugees!" We hear someone say from behind us. We turn around and see three people, two women, one is pregnant, the other looks around 18, and a man carrying a bag.

"I found a distraction," I tell Sokka with a small smirk, he sighs in annoyance.
"Are you guys headed to Ba Sing Se too?" Aang asks as we walk up to them.
"Sure are. We're trying to get there before my wife, Ying, has our baby," The man says, rubbing his wife's growing belly lovingly.
"Great, we can travel through the Serpent's Pass together," Katara says smiling.
"The Serpent's Pass?! Only the truly desperate take that deadly route," Ying says with a look of horror.

"Deadly route. Great pick, Sokka," Toph says sarcastically.
"Well, we are desperate," Sokka points out.
"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay. Ferries take refugees across the lake. It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se," Ying's husband, Tahn, tells us.
"And it's hidden, so the Fire Nation can't find it," Ying reassures us.

"Hmmm, peaceful ferry ride...or deadly pass?"

Later That Day.

We walk into Full Moon Bay, where we see dozens of refugees, most of them seemed to be in misery.
"I can't believe how many people's lives have been uprooted by the Fire Nation," Katara says sadly as she looks at all the sickly people.
"We're all looking for a better life. Safe, behind the walls of Ba Sing Se," Tahn states. We say our goodbyes to the couple that brought us here and then walk over to one of the lines of people to get our tickets.
"Next!" The lady at the desk calls.
"Um, five tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please," Aang says kindly.

"Passports," She says, not seeming to care.
"Uh, no one told us we had to have passports," Aang says nervously.
"Don't you know who this is? He's the Avatar!" Sokka tells her.
"Ah, I see fifty Avatars a day, and by the way, not a very impressive costume," She says pointing to a group of boys in avatar costumes lounging together.
"Besides, no animals allowed. Next!" She shouts.
"I'll take care of this," Toph says as she pushes past Aang. "My name is Toph Bei Fong, and I'll need 5 tickets," She says as she hands the lady her passport.

"Oh! The Golden Seal of the Flying Boar, it is my pleasure to help anyone of the Bei Fong family," The lady says, looking at the passport in awe.
"It is your pleasure," Toph says as she crosses her arms. "As you can see I am blind, this is my good friend," She says motioning to me. "And these three imbeciles are my valets," She says pointing to Sokka, Aang, and Katara.
"But the animal..." The lady says hesitantly.
"Is my Seeing-Eye Lemur," Toph says as Momo jumps on her shoulder and chatters.
"Well, normally it's only 1 ticket per passport. But, this document is so official, I guess it's worth 5 tickets," She says as she stamps all five tickets and hands them to Toph.

"Thank you very much," Toph says kindly as we walk away.
"Why is Elua your 'good friend' and we're the imbeciles?" Katara asks her, taking offense to it.
"Because I like her more than you three," Toph states, and I smile.
"Tickets and passports please," I hear someone say behind us. I turn around and see a girl in uniform talking to Sokka.
"Is there a problem?" Sokka asks her nervously.
"Yeah, I've got a problem with you. I've seen your type before, probably sarcastic, think you're hilarious, and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar," The girl says. I look at her for a moment, feeling like I knew her.

"Do I know you?" Sokka asks with a frown.
"You mean you don't remember? Maybe you remember this," She says as she ties his belt to his leg and he falls over, landing with a thud.
"Suki!" I shout as I run over and hug her.
"Elua, it's good to see you!" Suki says as she hugs me back.
"Do you have to do that? Can't you just say 'hi' like any other person?" Sokka asks her as he stands up.
"You look so different without your makeup and the new outfit," Katara tells her with a smile.
"That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them," Suki states. "And look at you sleeveless guy. Been working out?" She asks Sokka, making him smile, happy that someone is stroking his ego.

"I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then, nothing major," Sokka says as he flexes smugly.
"Are the other Kyoshi warriors around?" Aang asks.
"Yeah. After you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugees, and we've been here ever since," Suki explains as Momo flies over and lands beside her with a happy sound.
"Hi, Momo. Good to see you too," Suki says smiling as she pets his head. "So, why are you guys getting tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?" She asks, we become quite.
"Appa is missing. We hope to find him in Ba Sing Se," I tell her sadly.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you doing okay?" Suki asks Aang, making us all look over to him.
"I'm doing fine. Would everybody stop worrying about me?" Aang asks, getting annoyed that we had been 'babying' him.
"Avatar Aang, Nadir Elua!" We hear someone shout behind us, we turn around and see Ying standing behind us. "You have to help us! Someone took all of our belongings. Our passports, our tickets. Everything's gone!" Ying says as she begins to cry.
"I'll talk to the lady for you," I tell her as we walk back over to the desk and ask her if there was anything that could be done.

"No passports, no tickets!!" She yells at me
"But she's pregnant, and all of their stuff was stolen. You have to make an exception," I tell her, not wanting to deal with this stubborn woman anymore.
"No exceptions! If I just gave away tickets willy-nilly to anyone, there would be no more order, and you know what that means. No more civilization!" She shouts in my face.
"What if we gave them our tickets?" Aang asks her.
"No! NEXT!!!" She yells angrily. I sigh as we turn around and walk away in frustration.

"Don't worry, you'll get to the city safely. We'll lead you through the serpents pass."