Chosen by the Spirits | A male reader x Avatar the Last Airbender story

Chapter 26- Tales of Ba Sing Se

I must have gotten plenty of sleep, as when I awoke the next morning to the sun shining through the shutters, it was already late morning. After many nights resting in a sleeping bag, it felt amazing to finally be sleeping in a comfortable bed. And not only that, but now I had a day off to explore the city! Therefore, despite the strange events of the day prior, I found myself in a positive mood as I sat on the edge of my bed, stretching my body to wake myself up. As I stretched my arms outwards, I winced as I felt the familiar pain sear through my left arm. Since my fight in the desert with Zhao, my arm had been wrapped in bandages and, despite Katara's healing, it didn't seem to be getting much better. I made a mental note to find the nearest healer in Ba Sing Se and get it checked out.

I got myself ready for the day ahead. I wore a casual green earth kingdom shirt that I found in the wardrobe and some regular trousers so that I would blend in with the rest of the city, then I left my room. Upon walking through our new house, I noticed that I was the only one here. Everybody must already be exploring the city and doing their own thing. I made myself some breakfast before quickly leaving the house.

I spent some time taking in the views of the stunning upper ring, which was filled with nature. I found myself wandering around the outskirts of a large lake that was surrounded by lush forestry. Eventually, though, when the sun was beaming high in the sky, I decided that it was time to properly adventure around the middle ring. Our house was only a half hour walk to the middle ring, so there was no need to travel via the monorail. Plus, it was an amazingly beautiful day, so I simply took in the pleasure of nature as I walked to the busy middle ring. When I finally arrived there, I could immediately feel the contrast between the middle and upper rings. The upper ring was filled with nature and had a more peaceful vibe, while the middle ring had a more industrial and busy setting. But it wasn't a bad atmosphere, such as that in the lower ring. It was weirdly calming watching people stood outside their stores, yelling to passersby's, or sat behind counters awaiting potential customers. It was also strangely unnerving in a way. For all of my life at the Northern Water Tribe, I had been the one who had always been working, while the people around me merely observed. But now, the situation was flipped. As I paced through the bustling streets, everybody was hard at work, while I leisurely passed by.

After a while of exploring the streets of the middle ring, I passed by a small white shack with a green roof. It was claiming to sell 'the best tea in Ba Sing Se', which did intrigue me. It had a large, open window in the side of the building, and a few citizens were queuing outside it while a man, presumably the shopkeeper, served them through the open window. I had only had tea once, when Uncle Iroh had made it for me, but I had loved it. So, it only made sense that I should treat myself to some. As I joined the queue, I took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding area. In the middle of the street lay a large quartz fountain, which sprayed water into the air, safely landing back in the fountain's container. On this stunning day, the sun reflected off of the water beautifully.

Once I had finished admiring the street, I found myself at the front of the queue outside the tea shop. I requested a jasmine tea, as I remember liking it when Uncle Iroh made tea for me, and I quickly fished in my pockets for the correct amount of money. I paid the man through the window, and he quickly handed me a cup of steaming tea. I thanked him, and took my tea over towards the fountain, and I sat on the outer rim of the quartz, the water occasionally splashing the back of my shirt.

The tea was too hot to drink at first, but I quickly used temperature regulation to cool it down slightly. I placed the cup to my lips and drank some of the tasteful hot liquid. It was okay, but Iroh definitely made better tea. The title of 'best tea in Ba Sing Se' certainly didn't apply to this establishment. 'Oh well, it's still drinkable' I thought to myself. So, I sat at the edge of the fountain, the sun shining into my eyes, as I drank my tea.