Long, Long way to Ba Sing Se
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender
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June arrived back at the tavern just as day began to break across the Earth Kingdom. Mist shimmered across the ground as the dew that had settled across the grass the previous night was evaporated by the quickly rising sun.
The tavern was in an even sorrier state than when June had left it, the number of drunks passed out along the wooden verandah that ran around the left side of the tavern had doubled in her absence and the smell of urine drifting off the plastered walls had become almost unbearable. The wall also seemed to be sporting several cracks that June knew for certain hadn't been there when she left. There had obviously been a fight, and she had missed it, great.
There went a sizeable amount of her reputation, she could just hear the rumours already: June the Toughest Bounty Hunter in the Four Nations took a free job from a rag tag group of kids and missed out on a bar fight. She had had a hard enough time defending her rep lately as it was, she didn't need any more kindling on the fire.
With a sigh that June was certain was meant to be a grunt of frustration yet changed somehow as it passed through her lips into something heavy and tired she eased Nyla down into the same resting place she had occupied the previous night. The Shirshu eagerly took the opportunity to rest settling down on her haunches, her back muscles tensing as she tried to get comfortable position.
June dismounted and slid off Nyla's back landing heel first on the damp tangled grass with practised ease. She ran a hand across Nyla's muzzle as she made her way to the tavern.
The tavern doors weren't locked, not that June was in any way surprised, most of the patrons had probably only stumbled drunkenly on their respective ways barely an hour ago and those who hadn't were either passed out on the verandah or slumped across tables. A teenage girl dressed in muddy Earth Kingdom tones swept her way around their prone forms. She looked up from her work as June entered a scowl sketched onto her face, making the dark rings under her eyes all the more prominent. June recognised her instantly from the previous night, a pretty girl flitting from table to table with drinks and flirty smiles.
Seemed all that smiling and giggling as drunken men felt her up had caught up with her, June noted dryly as the girl lay her broom against the bar.
"We're closed now, you can find a place to mope of you want but don't expect no service" She said disdainfully reaching for a bucket of soapy water resting on the floor and pulling a wet rag from it. June scowled, she was tired and she was sore, the last thing she wanted to deal with was a snarky Earth kingdom girl.
"Do I look like I'm here to mope?" She raised an eyebrow. "Go get your boss, she has something of mine"
The girl cast a suspicious gaze over her before turning hesitantly and scurrying up the wooden stairs to where the inn rooms were. Her hard soled slippers slapping against the wood in a clacking noise that made June's head pound. She needed a drink.
June strode across to the shelves lining the wall behind the bar counter. She selected a jar of Huadiao jiu from the numerous other jars and bottles of alcohol lining the shelves. June cast a quick glance at the label stamped into the earthen ware container, it hadn't aged nearly enough for her tastes but what the hell. Breaking the wax sealing the jar she took a large swig. The liquor was salty on her tongue and it burned down her throat in an entirely unpleasant way. June knew there had been a reason she only liked to drink Huadiao Jiu after it had been buried for several years.
June put the jar down on a nearby table within the reach of an unconscious man as a plump woman descended the stairs. She too was dressed in the dull muddy tones preferred by the peoples of the Earth Kingdom. Her black hair, flecked with grey was tied back into a severe looking bun, but several strands obviously hadn't gotten the message and framed her face in a frazzled fashion. The harsh look on the woman's face eased as she saw June standing in the tavern.
"Didn't think I'd be seeing you again" She said her voice only mildly surprised. June snorted.
"Like I would pay you in advance if I wasn't bothering to come back"
"Wouldn't be the first one not to, I've seen it before, especially with the fire and all" The woman shrugged. June's eyes widened, she snapped her gaze which had been disinterestly scanning the room back to the woman.
"What fire?" The woman opened her mouth to give an answer but June was already running up the stairs. Her boots coming down in heavy thuds against the wooden floor. She tore out of the stairwell and into the darkened hallway lined with closed doors. June knew what lay beyond most of these doors. Patrons of the tavern who had enough money to afford a bed, and the luxuries that went along with them. But that only went for most of the doors. Something different lay beyond the door at the end of the hallway. The door June was running to.
June knew that this door would be locked, she had requested that it be and that the only keys be kept with the tavern woman at all times in her absence. June didn't bother to retrieve the key, she barrelled into the door shoulder first. The rusted lock snapped under the pressure and the door swung open revealing the darkened room.
The room was furnished simply. A bed sat in the centre of the room, an old chair and tea table sat under the boarded window, a wall hanging made of yellowing paper decorated with a symbol for good fortune hung from the plastered wall and underneath it there was a chest of drawers. And in one of these drawers, one that had been pulled out, bundled up in cloth was a baby.
A baby with a thin trial of smoke drifting up from her left nostril.
June strode across the room and plucked the baby from the drawer. At the movement her eyes lazily drifted open, revealing liquid gold irises. She slowly squeezed them shut again, her mouth puckering up as she took in a gulp of breath.
"None of that" June said quickly putting a finger to her daughters lips. The infant blinked confusedly but settled down into June's arms. Cradling the baby against her chest June spun on her heel and left the room brushing past the inwoman at the doorway.
"She wasn't too much of a nuisance, spent most of the time sleeping. She was quite popular with my girls actually" The Woman said hurrying to keep up with June's pace as she strode down the hallway. June frowned upon hearing how popular her daughter had been with the local prostitutes.
"You never told me the little darlings name though" The woman said peering over June's shoulder at the infant as she descended the stairs and made her way across the floor of the tavern. June paid no attention to the girl who was once again sweeping the floor of the tavern. She did however at the door turn back to face the woman as she reached the doorway.
"Yinzhen, her name's Yinzhen" She left
Nyla perked up as June came towards her. And June absent-mindedly ran a hand across the Shirshu's muzzle. Bracing Yinzhen between her and Nyla June pulled herself up onto the saddle. She then reached for her saddle bag and withdrew a bolt of black cloth. June wrapped the cloth around her torso and tied it under her left arm with a secure knot. And then she carefully placed Yinzhen in the sling.
It took her several moments of squirming but eventually Yinzhen settled down with a yawn, curled up against her mother. She blinked her liquid golden eyes before they slowly drifted closed and fell asleep with small puffs of smoke drifting out of her mouth with each exhale.
Watching her daughter sleep as she urged Nyla up June experienced what she supposed could really only be described as sentimentality. She looked not only peaceful but also completely in place, this was where Yinzhen was meant to be, on the road with her and Nyla.
Not in Ba Sing Se with her father.
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STORY NOTES
Junroh: Yes I am a Junroh shipper. It's one the smallest ships of the Avatar universe in fact it's probably a Dinghy. But I still like it. And you must admit any child with parents like June and Iroh would be awesome.
Yinzhen: Yinzhen is actually a type of tea. An expensive Tea Yinzhen is known for it's delicate taste. It is a white tea also known as Silver Needle Tea. Both Iroh and June are shown to be fans of tea and knowing Junes tastes I can imagine she'd prefer expensive teas.
Huadiao jui: Meaning Flowery carving wine, Huadiao Jui gets it's name from the ancient tradition of burying it underground at the birth of daughter and digging it up as a wedding present when she got married. Because it was intended as a gift the wine jar would have flowers carved into it to make it more attractive. The wines salty almost soy sauce taste is known to mellow over the years.
Okay I hope you enjoyed this story. I apologuise for my poor spelling and puncutation. I accept critism jut please be constructive and polite.
Ari out.
P.S
Has anyone else given June and Iroh an illigitmate daughter, or am I the first to even entertain the notion?