"Jin you little hog-monkey, give me back my clothes…" The threat was answered only by girlish laughter around the corner. "Ha, found you squirt!" A chase ensued throughout the small apartment, which ended in fallen furniture and many, many bruises. "You could've just asked y'know…"
"I know, but it's a lot more fun this way." The little girl named Jin said. She was pinned down by her older sister, who other than their mother was the only blood-family that she knew. Living in the lower ring wasn't seen as the best form of living by most, but at least it was a modest life. For the most part, Jin wandered around the city but was always welcome to where Jasmine worked, "Chong's Flower shop" in the lower Ba Sing Se marketplace.
"Alright squirt, you can have it, but next time, could you at least ask?" The older sister requested, helping her sibling onto her feet. With a look of excitement, Jin held up the plain and simple kimono up in question for both to see. It wasn't much different than what she currently wore, but to Jin, the green color and feel of it brought a look of beauty, like her sister, Jasmine.
"Haha, I guess it's a little too big for me, huh?" The girl giggled, holding up her arms which were covered by the overlarge sleeves.
"Don't worry squirt, you'll grow into them." Jasmine messed up her little sister's hair. "Y'know, you should really try tying up your hair now. You're getting close to marrying age…"
"What are you talking about? It is tied up!" Jin exclaimed, pointing up to her pigtailed brown hair. This received a snorted chuckle, which led to another giggle filled sister-fight.
In the market, Jasmine made her way to the flower shop as she did everyday. As she walked, the elder sister looked around her at the crowded streets, aware of the feeling of being watched. The day however, turned out to be like everyday. Customers came, and customers left, and little kids tried playing pranks only to be apprehended by Jasmine's hawk-like light green eyes. Jin came by to learn the trade for a bit but left when their mother asked for more spark-rocks.
Evening quickly approached and Jasmine made her way back to the small apartment, ready to embrace sleep. A noise caught her attention and with quick reflexes, turned to face its direction. Panting from anxiety, she saw nothing but the dimly lit alleyway in front of her. She sighed in relief…only to be grabbed by someone behind her. She tried to scream, but her mouth was covered, and was dragged backwards by a hand around her waist. With eyes wide open in fear, she flew off her feet and was halted by a body behind her. Jasmine was turned around to face…
"The Dai Lee? What have I done?" The Earth kingdom girl mumbled from within the stone gauntlet.
"No worries Ms. Jasmine." The Dai Lee agent calmly said. He removed the gauntlet from her mouth and bowed in respect. "The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai…" Afraid by what he meant by that, Jasmine kept silent, and left with the Dai Lee escort.
"What are you doing?!" Jasmine screamed in panic, trying to resist with all her effort to escape from her chair. "Where am I?" She tried all she could, but her arms and legs were restrained through earthbending, and soon a stone headband was created to keep her head still as well.
"Ms. Jasmine, you have been brought here because of potential endangerment of the lives within the city of Ba Sing Se. Do you plead guilty?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Jasmine whimpered softly, fear growing in her gut when she heard a new voice. Her unsaid question was answered when Long Feng appeared out of the darkness.
"We've been monitoring the letters that you've sent outside of the city…" Jasmine's eyes opened wide, amazed at what they've done. "It appears that you've been keeping in contact with a soldier…a soldier who has recently deceased no less." The girl's green eyes looked down in defeat, crushed by the news of her fiancé's death told in such a pragmatic way. "What I'm worried about though, is that you've mentioned a war in many of these letters Ms. Jasmine."
"That's because he was fighting in the war. And now…he died in the war…" Jasmine sobbed openly.
"Ms. Jasmine, I have no idea of what war you speak of…" Angered by what he said, her eyes snapped up aghast.
"How dare you…the Dai Lee of all people, how dare you say that?"
"There is no war…" Long Feng answered matter-of-factly. A lamp flashed in front of her suddenly, taking her off guard. "There has never been any war at all."
"What are you saying? My father died in defense of the Earth Kingdom!"
"You know not of any war." The lamp flashed by again, "You wish to pardon yourself of your crime…"
"No…I have not committed any crimes, and will never dishonor my father in such a way…" Jasmine continued to resist.
"There is no war…you will serve the state in order to pay for your crime…" The light circled again.
"You can't keep me in here for long, my friends…and family…will look for…Me." she now struggled to say, too engrossed in the light now.
"Your friends and family don't know of any 'Jasmine'. Jin has been an only child…Your mother has only one daughter…"
"…No…" Everything in the room began to spin around her. In fact, there seemed to be more than one man talking to her, telling her lies that she knew had to be lies. She wanted to keep arguing, but Jasmine was so sleepy at this point. And that lamp…the lamp that wouldn't stop passing in front of her…The lamp seemed to spin in the opposite direction of the room. To fix that, Jasmine tried to follow the lamp around, and it worked wonders for her dizziness.
"There is no war…there never was a 'Jasmine'…"
"No…war…"
"Repeat after me…" The lamp flashed again, "I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se…"
With a blank stare, the girl sat and said calmly, "I'm…Joo Dee…welcome to…Ba Sing Se"
I just couldn't keep from writing this...it just, poofed into my head!
I don't own any characters except for Jin/'Jasmine's' mom, and Chong, otherwise everyone else is owned by the great creators of Avatar!!