Disclaimer: So.. I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender series nor the caracters. I am just using them for my own guilty needs of so-called creativity. Hope you enjoy!
Katara woke up in the middle of the night, her whole body still trembling,trying to recover from her scarily vivid nightmare. Not again, she thought. It started since her brother and friends left from Ba Sing Se. Each night, the same terrifying images would torment her sanity, leaving her sleepless at times when she needed to be as awake as possible.
She knew that they were not safe. Even in Ba Sing Se, it was possible for their enemies to find them. Especially, when their enemies were the two spoiled children of an insane Fire lord. Zuko and his terrifying sister, Azula. Not to mention her two other friends, the one with the knives and the chi blocker. It was a matter of time that they would capture them and Katara knew it.
At least they would have trouble finding the others, that was for sure. Aang was away, trying to learn more about his chakras, Sokka was helping their father and Toph had finally decided to communicate with her parents. As for herself, Katara did not worry that much. She was a skilled water bender, incredibly skilled for her age, and she was the Earth King's protégé. Everyday she would meet with the most important and powerful men in the earth kingdom and although they would all at first underestimate because of her age, and sex probably, eventually she succeeded in gaining their trust.
However, her days in Ba sing se were actually… boring. She didn't know when the others would return and although patience was one of her virtues, she had grown tired of waiting. Everyday, the same meetings with the same people, with her endless tries to prove king Kuei that the danger of another attack from the Fire Nation was still there. She was of course grateful for he let her stay in the palace, but that wasn't enough for her. Sometimes, she caught herself regretting her choice of staying behind and keeping track of the preparations for the invasion.
"I must be crazy" she signed. A few days before, she would beg for this security and serenity. But right now, here she was, begging for something interesting (bad?) to happen.
"I can t have this anymore. I need to get out. There must be something more interesting in the city." She thought.
…
It has been a couple of days since Zuko recovered from his unknown illness and he definitely felt better about everything that happened. He was officially now, a banished and unwanted prince from the most hated Nation in history, he was betrayed by his own sister and he had to live in the shadows with the fear of someone recognizing him. Ba sing se was definitely a good hideout, but he knew he wouldn't tolerate it for much longer. Especially, when he knew that his ticket to home was still in that very city. The Avatar.
Zuko was still wondering how he could let his flying bison escape, but again, his uncle was right. A sky bison is not exactly the kind of pet that you can hide in your apartment. Particurarly, in that specific apartment where he was living with his uncle.
The tea shop his uncle owned was doing well. Great, in fact. Zuko decided to give his new lifestyle another chance. He owed it to his uncle. And to himself, most importantly. It wasn't going to be easy, that he knew. Not after being the Crown prince of the most powerful Nation. Not after you have been intoxicated with the sweetness of wealth and power. In fact, the odds were not in his favor.
The Avatar was, apparently, also in Ba Sing Se and Zuko was known of his lack of self control. What if he ran into him someday? Was he going to preserve his decisiveness on keeping a low profile and starting a new life? That he didn't, couldn't know himself.
It was past noon and the shop was already full of customers waiting to enjoy their tea. Zuko was not really enjoying his new job but he knew that his uncle was happy to see him occupying himself with something else than chasing a twelve year old boy and his friends. It was healthier. And then, there was Jin.
He had a good time with her, for sure. And, even after he turned her down, she kept coming to the shop (the new one they opened in the Upper Ring now) just to steal a few glances of him, or maybe ask him how he was doing. The whole thing had surprised, if not shocked him. How could someone be so concerned and kind to someone like him? He was a scarred, spoiled if not annoying teenager, with no honor or kindness in him. At least, that's what he thought of himself. "I have to make things right with her too. She didn't deserve that" he thought to himself.
-Nephew, could you serve this to the front table? These men are getting impatient, and from the looks of it, they have to be working for the King. We should not lose the opportunity of making a good impression to royalty.
His uncle cut him from his thoughts.
- Yes, uncle. You are right.
He said trying to sound as cheered and excited as he could. He took the tray from his uncle hands and headed the table where the Earth Kingdom Generals where sitting. They were four of them. Two of them were regulars to their tea shop. They would come everyday at this time, still wearing their uniforms.
- Here is your tea. Enjoy!
- Thank you, young man. Don't forget to praise your uncle for the delicious tea he offers us everyday.
One of them said raising his cup.
- It is an honor, sir.
Zuko couldn't help but smirk. Fools. Just now they are drinking tea from the hands of the man who tried to invade their city not many years ago. But wasn't that the irony? Bah Sing Se was the major obstacle for the Fire Nation to claim victory against the EarthKingdom. And here he was, the son of the Fire Lord serving tea to Earth Kindgom Generals.
- So, how is that waterbender girl? The friend of the Avatar who stayed in the city? One of the generals asked.
That was enough to make Zuko still.
- I heard she is staying in the palace as a protégé of the King while he is away. Did he really leave her here to prepare the war?
- How do know all of these? This information is top secret! The other one seemed worried.
"Can that really be her?" Zuko couldn't stop wondering. "And what about the war they are talking about? I thought the Dai Li try to keep everyone in the dark about it."
- Come on! They were going to find out soon. She attended today's meeting as well. Didn't seem to understand many things though. You know, such things must be hard for a girl to understand.
They all burst into laughter. Just how ignorant could they be? Zuko thought. Had they ever seen her fight? Obviously not, since that would be enough to make every single one of them fear for their own lives if she had heard them.
- Hey, boy. Why are you still here? Don't you have any other customers to serve?
The taller General asked Zuko, voice full of undeniable annoyance and suspicion.
- Sorry Sir. I must have spaced out!
Zuko tried to smile stupidly, bowed and left before he raised any other suspicion.
- You think he heard anything? The younger one asked.
- So? What if he did? He is just a tea shop waiter! What can he possibly do? The taller one replied, shipping his tea with noise.
Idiots, Zuko mused to himself. But they were right. There was nothing he could do. He had decided to live a normal life away from the Fire Nation, his father and… trouble. And it was, trouble itself stepping on to his new lifetime decisions. This couldn't get any worse.
…...
After a few hours of roaming in the city, Katara came across the new tea shop that just opened in the upper district of the city. She heard a vast of praises from the Generals for that shop and after not much thought she decided that she could use a cup of tea. She had a few Yuan on her after all and Bah Sing Seh' s hustle and bustle had really tired her out.
Moreover, that morning she had attended a vital meeting regarding the invasion. It seems that everything was going smoothly. The Generals seemed more than eager to battle and their strategies appeared flawless. At least, in her eyes, and she wasn't that much of a war expert. The only thing left now, was for the King to sign the very paper that she was holding. Then, everything would be ready for them to attack on the day of the Black Sun and put an end to the misery that the Fire Nation had put all of them through.
" A cup of tea before we get back to the King?'' Katara proposed goofily to Momo who was sitting carefree on her shoulder.
And just when she was about to enter the tea shop, she saw him.
Pure shock and perhaps terror took over her whole body, causing her to still and gap like a coy fish in the middle of the crowded street.
He was inside the shop, serving tea to some customers… smiling. He seemed changed (she had never seen him smiling before) but that wasn't the only thing that was different about him. He seemed… peaceful.
But that wasn't enough to fool her. What was he doing here? What is he planning? How did he get into the city? Just why when they think that they are safe from him and his psycho sister he always… finds them? Katara didn't have the time to answer all of these questions, she had to go back to the palace and inform everyone that the Prince of the Fire Nation was here, in the city. "Thank Spirits that the others are not here" she thought. And she really meant that. Although, Zuko had proven himself to be quite cunning and skilled opponent, she firstly cared for her friends. Either way, she could take care of the spoiled brat herself! She owned him since their fight in the North Pole.
"Just you wait, Zuko."