The building echoed throughout with the murmur of the masses. No words could be heard through it all, but all came hoping their voices would be heard. The black and green halls of the earth palace were packed with people from every nation and all walks of life. Scarcely did the carpet atop the smoothed stone floor peak through among the bodies covering it. The smell of food drifted through the air as an enormous banquet table was laid out to the side of the room, and those fortunate enough to have a spot nearby it gladly accepted its contents onto the plates they were offered. Finally, the torches near the earthen stage that was set up where the throne normally would be lit, bringing the majority of the light in the room to the stage itself. The audience mostly quieted down, their attention glued to the stage.
Finally, a group of eight people stepped out onto the stage. Four Air Nomads, Two from the water tribes, one from the fire nation, and finally an earth kingdom resident. The leaders of the four nations all gathered together in one place for the first time in four decades. Here, they would go on to discuss any problems the four nations could have, and find people to solve those problems. From finding earthbenders for construction to fire bending mercenaries, all would have their voice be heard.
The boy took a deep breath and stepped up to the podium at the front of the stage. His eyes barely peaked above to see the crowd, so he stomped his foot and the earth shot up beneath him, bringing him to the proper height for it. He cleared his throat and began his address.
"Ahem, Thank you all who could attend this congregation of the four. It is with great pride that I welcome you to Ba Sing Se that we may host you for this historic event. Though it is unfortunate, a new avatar has not yet been identified and will not be joining us." This caused a bit of muttering throughout the crowd, but no one seemed overly concerned.
"As you well know, you've come here for one of two reasons. To seek help, or to grant it. To begin with, anyone who believes they have a problem fit for all to hear may come forward, starting with the front. The floor is open." An elderly looking man in a green vest meekly walked forward, as he happened to have the good fortune of being the first in line.
"Hello, um, sirs and madams. M-my family has long since run a humble cabbage stall, but recently it seems like no matter where I take it it's always being destroyed and I need to rebuild it. We can't keep up with the costs! Isn't there anything that can be done?"The earth king's eyebrow twitched. Such a small scale problem was what he deemed worthy for the masses?
"You-"
"Will have two of my finest men to guard your stall, sir. Rest assured no more harm will come to it!" The finely dressed fire nation man shouted in interruption. He stood and walked to the front of the stage, leaning against he podium. Even with earth stand he'd made, the firelord was still a full head taller than the earth king.
"Rest assured, if they fail, I'll pay for your cart to be rebuilt out of my own personal coffers." With that assuring promise, the man positively beamed and stepped aside for the next person to speak with their problems.
One of the two water tribe chiefs rubbed the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed at the prospect.
"To think, he could've just gotten a mercenary to do it, and the firelord has promised members of his own military to protect a cabbage cart?" Chief Darran muttered to himself while more citizens voiced their problems. Next to him, one of the representative monks from the air temples let out a small giggle.
"Well, if the protection of a cabbage cart is our largest concern, I daresay the nations are in fine shape. Wouldn't you agree?" The water tribe chief gave a heavy sigh.
"If it were that easy, the avatar would've had to resort to begging on the streets long ago, Laan." Still, he had to agree, most of the concerns voiced were relatively easily dealt with as long as they were willing to provide enough manpower. Fires breaking out into dry lands, An uncommonly stormy season making passage dangerous for fishing boats, the soil in farmlands not yielding what it should. They were problems to be sure, but skilled benders from the four nations working together could sort out any one of them. The lines on his face began to relax. Maybe things weren't so bad.
