The Elements of Nature, Book 2: 土 & 雷 (Earth & Lightning)

by Superior-Doc-Fossil

Chapter 8, Tales of Ba Sing Se

The Elements of Nature
Book 2: 土 & 雷 (Earth & Lightning)
Chapter 8, Tales of Ba Sing Se

The Tale of Agua, Terra, Cadence, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle

At Team Avatar's house, the group are getting ready for the day, with Fire,’ Shining, and Blitz shaving, and the mares (except Terra) combing their mane ore brushing their teeth (as in Rainbow’s case). Later, the mares go to check on Terra, who is still asleep. They open her door and that Terra is still asleep on her bed, her blanket sloppily lying over her and her mane is a mess. “Terra! Aren't you gonna get ready for the day?” Agua asked her sprite sister.

Terra then gets up, causing her messy mare fly around. She spits on a nearby vessel which spins upon impact. The mares are shock to see Terra’s bad morning manners as Terra gets to her hoofs and brushes a large amount of dust off her sleeping dress. “I'm ready”

“You're not gonna wash up, dear?” Rarity asked. “You've got a little dirt on your ... everywhere, actually.”

“You call it dirt, I call it a healthy coating of earth!” Terra responded.

“Hmm...” Twilight said while thinking. “You know what we need? A girl's day out!”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful!” Rarity and Agua said at the same time.

“I wouldn't mind.”

“Of course you wouldn't mind, Fluttershy.” Rainbow said to the shy Pegasus. “Count me in.”

“Me too.” Cadence said.

“Same here.” Applejack said. The CMC then node a yes as they look at Terra.

“Do I have to?!” Terra wined.

“It'll be fun!” Rarity said. "I know where we can go!"

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Later, outside of a large building, Agua, Terra, Cadence, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle stand near the entrance as two mares in robes walk out and smile at each other. “The Fancy Mare Day Spa?” Rainbow asked, now regretting coming.

“Sounds like my kinda place.” Terra sarcastically said.

“Are you ready for some serious pampering?” Rarity asked the group.

She got mostly ‘OK’s from them, except from Rainbow and Terra. “I’m not so sure.” Rainbow said.

“Sure, Rarity, whatever you say. As long as they don't touch my hoofs.” Terra said as the twelve mares then walk inside

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Inside the building, most of the mares are siting while smiling, having their hoofs scrubbed. But Terra’s dirt-filled hoofs are being hold down as the attendant tries to scrape the massive amounts of dirt off her hoofs, getting and angry face from Terra. Suddenly an explosion erupts from one of the doorways, due to which, the frame becomes crumpled. An attendant flies out and hits the opposite wall, Terra having earthbent out of annoyance.

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Later, the mares are now taking mud baths. A unicorn attendant with a large pile of fresh towels walks over to Terra, who inhales air, and then exhales, earthbending the mud on her face, creating a scary appearance, which scares the attendant, who runs away. The group of mares and fillies laugh as the mud around Terra's mouth forms a large smile.

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Later in a sauna, Terra kicks the ground, bending another rock from another pile, making it fly onto the pile of hot rocks. Agua, using waterbending, splashes the hot rocks with some water creating steam. All of them sigh in relief.

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Later, outside the spa, Terra has a lot of make-up on her face while walking through the streets of Ba Sing Se, along with the other mares and fillies. “Well, that wasn't so bad. I'm not usually into that stuff but I actually feel ... girly.” Terra said.

“Me too.” Rainbow said.

“I'm glad. It's about time we did something fun together” Sweetie said as they’re crossing a bridge over a creek. As they do, they pass three mares going the other direction. “Wow, great make-up.” Are mare holding a umbrella said to Terra.

“Thanks.”

“For a clown!” The mare finished, causing the three mares to laugh. Terra's smile is replaced by a frown as they stop walking. Agua then puts her leg over Terra's shoulder, attempting to console her.

“Don't listen to them, let's just keep walking.” Agua said.

“I think she looks cute. Like that time we put a sweater on your pet poodle.” One of the mares said.

“Good one, Star.” The third mare said.

“Let’s go, girls.” Twilight angrily said.

“No, no, that was a good one.” Terra sarcastically said. “Like your poodle.” Terra then laughs. “You know what else is a good one?“ She earthbends the bridge, removing a circular part below which the three girls are standing, causing the girls to fall into the creek below.

“Now that was funny.” Agua said as she waterbends a wave that sweeps the girls away as they scream. Terra then walks away as the others run up to her.

“Those girls don't know what they're talking about.” Rarity said, clearly offended.

“It's okay.” Terra said to the group. “One of the good things about being blind, is I don't have to waste my time worrying about appearance. I don't care what I look like. I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I know who I am.” Terra then stops walking and cries a little bit.

“That's what I really admire about you, Terra.” Agua said to her spirit sister. “You're so strong, and confident, and self-assured. And I know it doesn't matter, but ... You're really pretty.”

“I am?” Terra asked with a smile.

“Yeah, you are.” Rainbow said when she lands.

“Yuper do!” Pinkie said.

“I'd return the compliments, but I have no idea what you gays look like.” Terra said, causing the group to laugh. “Thank you, Agua.”

Terra then punches Agua, showing the group her version of affection. “Ow!”

The Tale of Iroh, Firebrand, and Shining Armor

At a marketplace in Ba Sing Se, Shining and Fire’ are looking for something to eat for the night. “What do you think we should get?” Shining asked Fire.’

“I not su- Wait.” Fire’ said when he sees somepony familiar. “Isn't that Iroh?” Fire’ then points to Iroh, who goes toward a shop to buy a basket, and examines a basket kept.

“If this is for a romantic picnic, may I suggest this lavender one?” The shop owner said as he points to the basket in question as Fire’ and Shining walk up to Iroh.

“No, it's not a romantic picnic, but it is a special occasion.” Iroh said as he buys the basket. He then sees Firebrand and Shining Armor. “Why hello. Is there something you need to ask me?”

“Yeah, why are you in Ba Sing Se?” Fire’ asked.

“Thats a long story.” Iroh said to them. “I’ll explain on the way.” Iroh then begins to leave when he notices a vase that contains a moon flower. He slides the vase into the shade, which causes the flowers to bloom instantly. “The moon flower likes partial shade.”

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Later, Iroh, Fire,’ and Shining are at another shop, with Iroh examining another it. The shop in question sells musical instruments. “So, you now refugees?” Shining said, getting a nod from Iroh. The sound of a crying foal then catches the three stallions attentions and they turn around and see a Pegasus colt sobbing in the middle of the street and his mother trying to console him.

“Shhh. It's okay. Shhh.” She said.

Iroh then takes an instrument from the shop, and starts singing, walking toward the colt. Iroh gets down on one knee near the boy as he begins to sing. “Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier colt, come marching home. Brave soldier colt, comes marching home.” The colt's frown instantly turns to a smile as he reaches up and pulls Iroh's long beard, causing Iroh to groan while the boy laughs. Iroh then smiles and pats his beard. The colt's mother then takes her son by the hoof and leads him away as Iroh stands and looks at them with a smiling look on his face.

“Your a helpful pony, ya know that.” Shining said the old Earth Pony.

“Yep, I do.”

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Later at a courtyard, Iroh, Fire,’ and Shining enter, the laters having decided to help Iroh with his errands. Four colts are in the courtyard, playing soccer. One of the colts hits kicks the ball. But the ball, instead of hitting the gaol, it heads into the direction Iroh is standing. He dodges the ball just in time, but the ball breaks through the window directly behind where he was. A crash and a loud voice can be heard from inside. “Hey!”

“It is usually best to admit mistakes when they occur, and seek to restore honor.” Iroh said to the colts.

“He’s got that right.” Fire’ said. Loud noises are heard and all seven of them look up, startled. At the window, a very large body and head become visible through the hole.

“When I'm through with you foals, the window won't be the only thing that's broken.” The big pony angrily said.

“But not this time.” Iroh said to the foals. “Run!” Iroh, FIre,’ Shining and the faols run away in all directions. Iroh is running down the marketplace street quickly. He hides in an alley, places the basket down, and he looks around the corner to see if he is being chased. He sees FIre’ and Shining and the three sit down.

“Give me all your money!” The three look down the ally and see a stallion with a knife, who has a very poor stance.

“What are you doing?” Fire’ asked in disbelief.

“I'm mugging you!” The stallion said.

“With that stance?” Iroh said, causing the stallion to look at his stance.

“Huh? What're you talking about? Just give me your money, you old fart!” The stallion said.

Iroh just shakes his head. “With a poor stance, you are unbalanced, and you can be easily knocked over.”

“Iroh, what are you doing?” Shining quietly asked.

Iroh then quickly grabs the leg of the mugger and disarms him, while pushing his attacker and knocking him to the ground. He smiles, while twirling the dagger in his hoof, and then helps the stallion, who's name is Tyco, to his feet. “With a solid stance, you are a much more serious threat.” Iroh demonstrates a proper stance, which Tyco attempts to imitate, but is still not assuming the correct form. Iroh walks over to him and holds his head still while he adjusts Tyco's stance. “Much better! But to tell you the truth, you do not look like the criminal type.”

“Yeah.” Fire’ remarked.

“I know. I'm...” Tyco then sighs. “I'm just confused.” Later, the four are drinking some tea with Tyco, discussing what he should do. “So you really think I could be a good masseur?” Tyco asked Iroh.

“Of course!” Iroh said as he pours some more tea.

“This is so great. No one has ever believed in me.” Tyco said to them.

“While it is always best to believe in one's self, a little help from others can be a great blessing.” Iroh said while smiling.

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Later, Iroh, Firebrand, and Shining are walking to a tree on a hill within the city as the sun is setting. Leaves fall from the tree as Iroh approaches it. “You promise you won’t tell Zuko that I’m here.”

“I promise.” Iroh said as he places the basket he had bought earlier down and removes his hat. He then rests on his knees and piles some rocks at the tree's base.

“And thanks for helping us get something for tonight.” Shining added as Iroh removes several things from the basket and places them at the bottom of the tree, near to the pile of stones. “Whats the special accession anyway?”

“Today is my sons, Lu Ten, birthday.” Iroh said with great sadness as he pulls out a sheet of paper and looks at it for a few seconds, closing his eyes, before placing it down as well. Finally he pulls two incense sticks, and lights them with his hoofs by firebending. Iroh has made a small memorial for his deceased son, Lu Ten. “Happy birthday, my son. If only I could have helped you.”

“Ugh, Shining, let’s go.”

“Yeah. We’ll leave you alone.” Shining said as Iroh begins to sing, but in a voice that cracks due to him crying.

“Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier colt, come marching home. Brave soldier colt, comes marching home.”

The Tale of Blitz

Blitz is walking down a candlelit street at night. Bored, he pulls his nun-chucks out, throws it into the sky, and catches it as it comes back down. He walks past a building and into the alley beside it, some colts who are having trouble keeping an lion in line, and by the windows of the building, but he then hears voices from inside. Intrigued, he turns and sticks his head inside the window. “What's this?” He asked when he sees the room is the 5-7-5 Society's classroom. There is a mare on the stage reciting her haiku to the rest of the them.

“Through all the long night, winter moon glows with bright love, sleet her silver tears.” The mare on the stage said.

“Aah, poetry.” Blitz said as the lion, who is still struggling with his handlers, kicks backward and hits Blitz in his flank, sending him through the window, and inside the room. The mares look at him and shriek, startled. “I am so sorry. Something struck me in the rear. I just ... wound up ... here.” Blitz said while collecting himself and removing the window frame.

The mares laugh, and clap at Blitz's unintended haiku. He first looks surprised, but then grins widely as their teacher, Macmu-Ling, gets up. “Five, seven, then five, syllables mark a haiku.” She then bows to Blitz. “Remarkable oaf.”

Blitz then thinks for a moment. “They call me Blitzle, that is in the USA. I am not an oaf.” The mares then laugh at his haiku.

“Chittering monkey, in the spring he climbs treetops, and thinks himself tall.” Macmu-Ling said while she narrows her eyes.

“Oooooh!”

“You think you're so smart, with your fancy little words, this is not so hard.” Blitz haiku.

“Oooooh!”

“Whole seasons are spent, mastering the form, the style, none calls it easy.” Macmu-Ling said as she walks up to the stage.

“Oooooh!”

“I calls it easy. Like I paddle a canoe, I'll paddle yours too!” Blitz said while imitating paddling a canoe as the ladies laugh.

“There's nuts and there's fruits.” Macmu-Ling said as she takes a plum from her sleeve, drops it to the ground, and squashes it. “In fall the clinging plum drops, always to be squashed.”

“Squish, squash, sling that slang. I'm always right back at ya, like a boomerang!” Blitz said, causing an annoyed Macmu-Ling to walk off the stage and back to her seat as Blitz turns to the class again and raises his leg up to silence the laughter. “That’s right, I’m the Blitz. With a B-L-I-T-Z, young ladies, I rocked ya!” This time, however, his ‘haiku’ is not cheered at, and is met with silence. Blitz stares as the class, as the annoyed and angry class does the vice versa. Blitz then counts the number of syllables his haiku had, and realizes that he had 6 syllables in the last line instead of five.

A large security guard catches him by the collar, and throws him out through the door. “Uh, that's one too many syllables there, bub.” The gaud said as he closes the door.

Outside the room, Blitz falls to the ground with a loud noise. He then sits up. “Poetry...”

The Tale of Zuko

At the Pao Family Tea House, Zuko walks down the shop with a tray of cups, and looks behind at a mare. He walks up behind his uncle who is on a ladder, stacking things on a shelf behind the counter. “Uncle, we have a problem.” Zuko said as Iroh descends from the ladder. “One of the customers is on to us. Don't look now but there is a mare over there at the corner table. She knows we're Fire Nation.” Iroh looks at the mare, but is quickly pulled back by Zuko. “Didn't I say don't look?”

“You're right, Zuko. I've seen that girl in here quite a lot. Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you.” Iroh teased.

“What?!” A bewildered Zuko said.

The mare in question then gives the two some coins. “Thank you for the tea. What's your name?” The mare asked Zuko, causing Iroh to slightly smile.

“My name's Lee.” Zuko said when he turns around. “My uncle and I just moved here.”

“Hi Lee, my name's Jin.” The light green Earth Pony mare said to him. “Thank you and ... well, I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime.” Jin said with a blush.

Before a clearly stunned Zuko can respond, Iroh answers that question. “He'd love to!”

“Great. I'll meet you in front of the shop at sundown.” Jn said as she walks away, as Iroh throws his arms on a bewildered Zuko's shoulders, with a large smile.

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Later, Zuko comes out of the tea shop at the evening, with his mane combed. He walks out into the middle of the street and looks around as Jin emerges from an alley beside the shop and walks up to him. “Hey. Well, look at you.” Jin said as she messes up Zuko’s mane. “You look so cute.”

Zuko then stops Jin from messing up his mane anymore. “It took my uncle ten minutes to do my hair.” Jin then grabs Zuko by the leg and goes with him as he glances once back at the teashop.

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Later at a town square, several ponies stand around doing various activities, with Zuko and Jin eating at a restaurant, Jin is sipping tea while Zuko pokes at his last meatball with his fork, not looking at Jin. “So, how do you like the city so far?” Jin asked.

“It's okay.” Zuko answered.

“What do you like to do for fun?” Jin asked wile sipping some tea.

“Nothing.”

“Excuse me, sir.” A waiter addressed Zuko. “Would you and your girlfriend care for dessert?”

“She is not my girlfriend.” Zuko hissed. The waiter then walks away and Zuko laces his hoofs and looks at Jin, who is eating noodles from a bowl at fast speed. Zuko just stares at the sight for a moment. “You have ... quite an appetite for a filly.”

“Umm ... thanks? So, Lee, where were you and your uncle living before you came here?” Jin asked.

“Umm ... well, we've been traveling around for a long time.”

“Oh. Why were you traveling so much?”

“We were ... uh, part of this traveling circus.” Zuko nervously said, trying his best to make a good excuse.

“Really? What did you do? Wait, lemme guess.” Jin then thinks and comes up with a answer. “You juggled!”

“Yes, I juggled.” Zuko said while folding his legs.

“I've always wanted to learn how to juggle.” Jin said as she holds out some things for Zuko to juggle. “Can you show me something?”

Zuko takes the objects in his hoofs, and throws them one by one in the air, but is unable to catch them, and one of the objects, a small vase, falls on his head, breaking into many pieces. “I haven't practiced for a while.” Zuko said as he wipes away the broken vase from his mane.

“It's all right.” Jin sadly said. But her frown then turns upside down when she remembers something. “Hey, I want to show you one of my favorite places in the city.”

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Later in a street in the city, Jin is leading Zuko to a small fountain. “I'm so excited for you to see the firelight fountain. The lamps make the water sparkle and reflect in the pool in the most beautiful way.” She leads Zuko into an open area with a large fountain and several posts with candles on top surrounding it in a circle. However, the candles are not lit. “I can't believe it! They aren't lit.”

Zuko then looks at Jin and sees that she’s about to cry. “Close your eyes, and don't peek.” Zuko said to her. Jin then closes her eyes as Zuko walks out, holds his front hoofs together, and closes his eyes as he prepares. Zuko then opens his eyes, and he begins firebending. Using the very tips of his hoofs, he shoots small bursts of flame in all directions at the candles to light them. Once finished, he stands straight and looks at Jin, still with her hoof covering her eyes. “Okay, now you can look.”

Jin then removes her hoof and opens her eyes. “Oh, wow.” She said when she sees that the candles are now lit. Jin looks at Zuko, amazed. She walks up to him, looking at the candles. “What happened? How did they light? What did you?” She then looks at a smiling Zuko.

They both turn to look at the fountain. As Zuko looks at them, Jin brushes her hoof through her mane and smiles at him, and then holds his hoof. Zuko turns to look at Jin smiling at him. They both turn to be face to face and as Jin begins to lean in for a kiss, but Zuko quickly draws a piece of paper which he holds between their lips. “I've brought you something.” He said to a surprised Jin. “It's a coupon for a free cup of tea.”

“Don't thank me, it was my uncle's idea.” Zuko said a she takes a few steps back. “He thinks you're our most valuable customer.”

“Your uncle is a good teacher.” Jin said as she walks close to him and turns his head toward her. “I have something for you too. Now it's your turn to close your eyes.” As Zuko closes his eyes, Jin goes closer to him and kisses him, and then pulls back slightly. Zuko returns the kiss, but immediately jumps back away from her. He stands for a second, looking at her, then turns his back and begins to walk away. “What's wrong?”

“It's complicated. I have to go.” Zuko said to a disappointed Jin.

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Later at the tea house, Iroh is looking out from the windows at the street, waiting for Zuko. The door then opens, as Zuko walks inside, being silent. “How was your night, Prince Zuko?” Iroh asked. Zuko just walks into a room and slams the doors shut behind him without replying to Iroh. Iroh looks after him for a second with a confused look before turning back to the window to continue his work.

But he then turns back when he hears Zuko opening the doors. “It was nice.” Zuko said as he closes the door again. Iroh then smiles.