Earth Bending teacher needed

The middle ring of Ba-Sing-Se. It was always bustling here. The markets were selling the wares, people entertaining for coins on the rode (the more sucesfull were anyway, the bad entertainers were in the lower ring). A young Earthbender came to the front of the University. Though it was located in the Middle ring, most of the school was actually from the Higher ring, and debate about moving the borders of the ring to extend to the University had been hotly debated. Still, he needed to find an Earth Bending teacher. He walked up to the steps, climbing up each one slowly. There were many, which went to the raised building at the top. The building was very tall, with strong sturdy columbs supporting it. He marveled at it, and realised that it must have been constructed by very talented Earth Benders. He went through the front door to a large main room, which had desks at the front. The room was very busy, with students and teachers going to and fro, people stopping to talk to teachers of friends. He walked up, and the man behind one of the desks (who was scribbling paperwork) barely looking up and giving a glance at the young man. He looked up, then went back to writing.
"Um, excuse me" said the man
"Well, what do you want?" said the secretary. Apparently he had seen the way that the man was dressed and how he acted, and figured some commoner had wandered in again. Did security ever do there job by keeping these lowly peasants out of his beutiful University? (Or at least what he considered "his" University)
"I'm here to find an Earth Bending teacher, can you help me?"
"Have you had your written recomendation from the Emperor to attend the University?" said the man behind the desk. He didn't really need one from the EMPEROR, but he needed one from the principle of the Highschool to get in, and he knew this man didn't have one nor knew about it.
"I didn't know I needed one. How can I get ahold of the Emperor?" said the man
The secretary was startled by this remark, and messed up whatever he had been writing when his hand slipped (flying into ink jar, whic spilled, ruining his paper). He looked up in dread. "YOU want to meet the Emperor! That's not how it's done, now get out of here before I call security!"
The young man started to rebudle. "But I-" he started
"GET OUT!" yelled the secretary (the yelling caught the attention of some of the many of the people in the room, quieting much of the talk).
The young man sighed and turned around, bumping into somebody as he did..

To kill some time and to get out of the palace and not become stir crazy, Xu decided to check on the University in the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se. Since he was a part of the royal bloodline and future king he had to have guards following him 24/7 it got rather old and monotonous. The Earth Prince was walking in the street people around him would bow as he pass and he gave a simple smile and wave. The guard’s eyes moved to every side looking at those who passed by, Xu told them to take it easy but they never listened and some got out of hand.

He made his way past shops selling all kind of goods. The smell of food in one and the sight of colorful clothing in another caught his attention as he continued on his march to the University. He stood in front of the building and then watched as scholars and students walked everywhere some quickly some looking like they are taking a walk. He walked up the stairs and looked at a few statues of the spirit of knowledge and of pupils and students. He smiled to himself and a plant in a nearby bed caught his eye. He slowly took his time walking over to it and bent down. He took one sniff and smiled; he turned and walked back to the door. He motioned the guards to stay behind and they stayed. ‘Finally,’ he thought, ‘they are listening to me for a change.’

Xu walked in and saw the hustle and bustle of the life inside the building. It was the same as the outside, people walking all over the place to get things done. Some were teachers and speaking with their young students on information that would pass over the head of Xu. The University offered a broad learning experience from the history of the word all the way to the more brutal classes like earth bending or sword fighting. He stopped as he watched a young boy spoke with a man behind a desk.

The man behind the desk was being very rude and Xu decided he should step in. The man shouted and then the young boy accidentally hit Xu. Xu held his ground and did not fall over and he looked at the boy and said, “Sorry about that. I should have moved, my bad.” He laughed a bit and then waited for the boy’s reply.

Ordan turned around, bumping into somebody. The guy he bumped into apologized. "No, sorry, I was just leaving." He started to walk away, then turned around facing the guy. "Hey, do you know where I can find the Emperor? The guy says I need a recomend to attend the university."

Xu said, "No you do not have to apologize or leave. You have the second best thing right here.” He laughed and then said with a strong voice, “Xu Peng at your service son of Lu Peng II and Heir to the Throne.” He smiled and knew his entrance was a little over done but he was in a somewhat joker mood today. “You do not have to speak with my father; my word is almost as good as his.”

Xu fixed his clothes, when the boy bumped into him it messed them up a bit, he put on a fake Prince look and mood and walked up to the desk where the man was picking up ink covered papers. He said bitterly, “Go away please I am very busy and don’t have any time to talk.” The man did not look up and Xu said, “No thank you I think I will stay.” The man grunted and then said, “Well fine I will have to get the guards to get you out.” He snapped and two guards walked up but with one look at Xu they back off. The man looked at the two and shouted, “Well get rid of this man I have work to do!” He then turned his face and looked at Xu. His eyes grew wide and his mouth opened up. He stammered out the words, “Prince Xu, it is a pleasure to have your presence this day. How can I help you?”

Xu laughed and motioned the boy to come forward and Xu said, “I suggest you let him do whatever he wants. If not then do you want to speak with my father? Also, think how annoyed he will get if he is stopped from running the city to deal with one rude man behind a desk in his University.” The man nodded sharply and said, “Yes Prince whatever you say. Young lad come back what was it you want?” Xu starred at the man behind the desk as he stopped his hand from shaking and looked at the boy, “See how we get things done in the Earth Kingdom? Just that easy.”

Ordan was trying to hide it, but a huge grin popped out when the secretary was chewed out. He had been treated rudely like this more then once, but usually it didn't come out in his favor like this. Finally, the fates had smiled upon him. He went up to the front desk. "I need an Earthbending teacher, as well as a sword fighting sensei." After he had said this the man nodded his head sharply (repeatedly) and started going through paperwork to find the proper instructors. He then turned back to the prince, offering him a handshake (which probably wasn't the proper thing to do, which more then likely would have been a bow along with "your highness"). "Orand Coal" said Orand, still offering his hand to the prince.

Xu stood by the desk as the boy said what he wanted again. He could be this boy’s Earthbending teacher he would have to get another master for the sword part. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind and then he let out a sigh and raised his hand. The man behind the desk starred at Xu and pointed at him. Xu opened his mouth and the man asked, “Why is your hand raised?” Xu shrugged and said, “Not too sure, but I happen to be a Master Earth Bender trained by my father and well the Avatar also helped me for a few days. Maybe I can be this young lad’s master, but you will have to find someone else to be his sword master I can’t even grip one let alone hit someone with it.” He laughed at his own little joke and the man behind the desk laughed too even though it was not that funny.

The man then went back to work and Xu moved his attention to the boy. He held out his hand, Xu was shocked but happy. Most people boy and say things like “My Prince” or “Your Highness” he was tired of all the titles but this boy treated Xu like a normal person he liked it. Xu shook the boys hand and smiled the whole time, when it was over his hand fell limp to his side and he said, “Nice to meet you Orand you already know who I am. It has been a pleasure meeting you.”

People slowed down and stared as a commoner shook hands with the prince, a man that only moments ago was being kicked out of the univerisity by a mere secretary. He also noticed that the two guards were watching him vigoriously. They didn't seem to care for anybody making any physical contact with the prince. "Good to meet you. Thanks for helping me out of a jam like that. When do you want to get started on the training? Where do you want to meet?" He said this in a hurry. When he said "It has been pleasure meeting you" he assumed that the prince had somewhere to be going. Royal Prince duties or something. He could never understand royalty, he sighed silently to himself at this thought. In the back of his mind tthough he was curious. Was this boy REALLY a master Earth Bender? Ok, given, he was nice and all, and was definitely royalty, but he wasn't all too convinced of his Earthbending skills. Still, he didn't want to turn it down and hurt his feelings.

"Same to you. Same to you," Xu said with a smile and continued, "It is not a big deal I can do almost anything if you have any problems look me up. I stay in that rather big building surrounded by guards." He laughed to himself and stood there thinking. He thought some more and said, "Well we can start now if you want and we can do it on the training fields here or use the ones in the palace." His father would not mind, but the advisors an guards probably would.

Ordan was somewhat puzzled. Why was this prince, a royal person, being so nice to him? Usually people of royal status were snoody, rude, or even cruel to him. However, he was going to just go with it. Ordan, being unaware of the guards or advisors, took him up on the offer. Having never been in a nice house, none-the-less a palace (and always up to new experiences) he just couldn't pass up the oppurtunity. "I don't think I like this place, it's to crowded. How about we go to your place?" said Ordan, trying to work it into casual conversation.

Xu nodded and laughed, "Well it is a university in Ba Sing Se not like it will be empty and so quite you can hear a pin hit the floor. This is a wonderful place to learn, I like using my open area at the Palace though. But if you want to learn something like math or anything new this is the place to come. It has so much to offer." Xu looked at the boy and said, "It is not my palace, yet. It is my father's palace, but one day it will be mine." He closed his eyes and pictured the crown on his head and himself sitting on the throne giving out orders and dealing with the Earth Kingdom. A smile went across his face. He snapped back into reality and said, "Oh right! The Palace!" He quickly turned, not waiting up for Ordan, and walked out the University and down the steps. Guards met up with the prince as he made his way through the streets that led to the Upper Ring and the Palace. He shouted, "Come now! You don't want to get lost!"