Undercover in Ba Sing Se

Luz stood in front of the gates, staring upwards. They went up higher than she could see. Obviously, breaking in that way would not be an option. She stood, clad in boyish clothes, with her short, blonde hair pulled back into a bun under her hat, waiting for an entrance to appear.

A couple guards were talking nearby. Luz blinked her pretty brown eyes and then grinned. She moved away from them and spied a few vines nearby. She smirked and then quickly made her way over to them before hoisting herself up and beginning to climb. Obviously she couldn't climb the entire length of the wall. So she made it instead to a low tower window where she could slip inside.

Luz made her way through the room and down the stairs until she found herself at a large courtyard. She began to walk through it and pick at the leaves and wildlife, acting as though it was her job.

Li was in the throne room with the same old advisor his father had. "My Lord I need you to look at this for me." He walked up and held out some trade reports. Li has the metal the Dark Nation leader gave him in his hands and he was forming it into different things. "I do not want to look at some foolish reports. Your job is to look at them and then inform me. I suggest you get that out of my face now." He glared at the man he lowered his head and mumbled, "Yes my lord." he turned and left the room grumbling to himself about Li actions.

He continued to sit on the throne and play with the metal. Forming it into shapes, daggers, and other fun things to take up his time. He only has one though on his mind, the soon to be war. It was going to happen and it was going to be great. Li heard the door open and he said, "I don't want to be bothered leave me." He looked up and saw it was a guard. "Your Highness we have reports or someone creeping on the walls. Li shrugged and said, "It could have been my brother he must have sneaked out agian. Like I care." The guard sighed and left the room.

Li continued to play with the metal while the thoughts of the war rushed through his mind. Again there was an interruption and then he stood up from his throne and shouted, "Can't you all see I want to be alone!" It was the guard agian and he bowed, "I am sorry but there is a man to speak with you." Li fell back in the throne and said, "Fine bring him in." A man who looked like trouble walked through the door and it closed behind him. "Ah I see you actually came. I am in need of your assistance. I am in need of something taken out for me. My advisor, he was my father's advisor and will stay mine until he retires or dies." Li looked at the man and said, "I think you know what I am getting at. I want him dead, but make it look like an accident. You can do is soon or later I don't care I will pay you a good sum of money. Now leave." The man bowed and said, "Thank you your Highness." turned and left the throne room. Li took out the metal and then continued to play with it.

"HEY YOU!"

Luz spun around and stared at the guard who had a spear against her throat. "Who are you?" the guard demanded, glaring at her threateningly.

"I'm the royal wildlife caretaker." Luz lied smoothly, mentally making sure she still looked like a boy. "I make my annual visit around this time."

"Then why were you sneaking inside the palace by way of the vines?!"

"I was told to do that." She put her hand on her hips. "I test out the sturdiness of them. Don't worry, if you further doubt me, you can take me to the King himself. He knows who I am."

The guard sneered. "I'll do just that." He grabbed her arm, quite painfully, and Luz simply let herself be dragged along to the throne room. The guard knocked cautiously, before peering his head in.

"You're Majesty," He mumbled quietly, "I found this boy sneaking around the palace."

Li walked around the throne room in circles. He wondered how the man was going to to the deed. Make it look like an accident? That would be very hard to do. He walked over to his throne room and faced the door he could sense someone getting close to the room.

Li sat on his throne and then heard another knock on his door. His anger rose and then he said, "What is it now?! I said I wanted to be alone to think that is it." He stopped his ranting and then looked at the guard and then the boy. A boy? For a boy he had a very girly look to him. He sighed and then asked, "What was he doing?" He continued to sit on his throne and looked at the guard and then at the boy.

His patience was getting thinner and thinner he then exclaimed, "I really don't care what the boy was doing. Look at him he is just skin and bones, not like he can do any harm." He laughed and then took out the metal and started to bend it in his hand while he starred at the boy and guard.

Luz bristled. "I'm a skilled fighter, I'll have you know!" She glared at him, cursing her short stature and non-threatening look. She was just glaring when the the guard awkwardly cleared his throat and said, "He snuck in. He claims to be the Royal Wildlife Caretaker..shall I leave him with you to deal with?"

Luz looked at the king with anger in her eyes. He looked only a couple years older than herself. How could he be such a jerk this young? She immediately decided that she didn't like this..king.

Li laughed and said, "Ok little buddy you say that all you want." He though and said, "What is the Royal Wildlife Caretaker?" He laughed and looked at the guard, "You think that is a real title? I am glad you took him to me and did not actually believe me. You can leave him here. I will deal with him." He motioned the guard to go away and when he did Li smiled at the boy.

"So you sneaked in my palace and lied to my guard?" Li asked still looking at her and putting the metal away. He moved a bit in his throne and continued to stare at the boy. What did he want? The boy looked angry, "Why are you angry?" Li asked and then moved agian, "I did not harm you or put you in jail for sneaking in the Earth Kingdom Palace. When he left I could have started to scream and say you attacked me. But I did no such thing. You need to smile more often, it helps with first impressions."

Luz took a deep breath and then cocked a grin. "My apologies, sir. And thank you very much." She said, always one to be polite. Then she spoke quietly, "I would like a job, sir, if it is not too much. I am a very skilled fighter, despite my er...small stature." She laughed awkwardly and scratched her neck. "But I'd be honored to work in your service, sir."

"Hm..." He said and looked at the boy. "Skilled fighter you say?" He called out for some guards and then two came in. "I want you to fight someone so I can see if you are right guards if needed fight back. But no bending and try not to kill the boy." They nodded and then faced the boy and one laughed. Li continued to sit on his throne and took out the metal and started to play with it bending it into odd shapes. Li had his eyes on the boy and was ready to see his moves.

Luz stared from the guards to Li. "Are you sure? Well, okay." Luz took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She opened them, sizing them up and deciding how to fight them. "Alright, go." She whispered, a concentrated look on her face. She quickly ran behind them and smirked when the spun around.
She jumped onto one of their backs. Unfortunately, the guard was ready for this, and quickly began trying to shake her off. She clenched her teeth and kicked him. Of course it didn't do much (hence the fact that he was wearing armor), so instead she simply jumped down and lashed her foot out, tripping him. He only wavered for a second before Luz jumped up and tackled him.
Now, Luz was small, but she had a grip. And once she had him unbalanced, she made sure that he fell and once he had hit the ground, she kicked him in the face (the only uncovered part of his body), knowing it wouldn't be a fatal blow but would definitely hurt.
Now she turned her attention to the other guard. She knew he would be tough. He had seen the way she fought without bending, and he was more than prepared. She took a deep breath before jumping onto his back and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm small," She said to Li between pants, "but I'm clever." She closed her eyes at his struggling and then mustered all the strength she could and jumped into the air, using his shoulders as a launcher, and then landing on his head, knocking him over. Once both guards were on the ground, number one knocked out and number two just frustrated with being beeten by a kid who looked 12, she stood up and looked expectantly at Li.

When she finished Li stood up and was clapping. "Very good," he smiled and continued "you surprised me I congratulate you for that." He sat down and then said, "Now to give the well bad news. You may be very good at fighting and all that. I just don't think you could do anything of the sorts like protection for me." Li put the metal away and then though some more. What do do with this boy?

"What do you have in mind?" Li asked him. Maybe he had a dream of doing something, being a guard was out of the picture. All the spots were taken and then he looked at the two on the floor. They slowly got up and Li shouted, "You two may leave, go now." They quickly left walking in pain as they left the room. Li laughed and said, "You really did good, better then i expected."