This is my first story, so please bear with me! I tried to get all the spelling and grammar errors out, but if you find one, please tell me; I will fix it! And I would love any sort of constructive criticism you have.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar world, nor anything/one that resides within it. The only creature that is mine is the girl, whose name I can't say right now. She is a child of my imagination!


Chapter 1

The air shimmered as the girl pulled a cart laden in plant life. Flowers of every color, shape and size adorned the cart, kept in good health by the vases full of cool water. Despite the heat, the girl was dressed in long black robes, instead of the customary green and white of Ba Sing Se. Her black hair fell loose around her, instead of properly pulled back in a loop on top of the head. Her slender feet were bare, toes just barely poking out from under her robe. Finally, her eyes were a beautiful yellow, the same pale color as Buttercups.

Positioning her cart right beside the pathway running through the park, she pulled a stool of her cart, and sat. Not a sound she made, as passersby looked at her flowers, making no move to purchase the beautiful blooms. The sun was heading down before anyone showed any real interest. It was an older man, quite round and soft looking. He was dressed in forest green robes, and a straw hat hung on his back, unused. He stroked his immense grey beard as he inspected the flowers.

"I want some flowers that would look good in a tea shop, trouble is, I don't know which would be best."
The girl smiled at the sound of his voice, but her smile looked forced, fake.
"It depends on what sort of feeling you want for your tea house."
Her voice was smooth, drifting across the senses like water. The old man grinned as well, his smile genuine.
"I want people to be happy and comfortable in my tea house. The world can be harsh at times, and people need a break. The Jasmine Dragon should be a place for people to forget the pain in their lives, if only for a while."
The girl smiled again, her smile a little cold. Her mind drifted to a tea house that would heal, and comfort.
"Here," she whispered. "I would suggest a bouquet of wisteria and yarrow." She reached into the mists of thousands of flowers and pulled out a handful of a beautiful pale purple flower. The flower was really a cluster of several flowers hanging down a stem of emerald green. The flowers started out large, almost as big as the girls palm, then tapered down to the size of her pinky. "Wisteria can mean welcome, fair stranger." She reached into the cart again, this time pulling out a cluster of white flowers. The petals were as large as the fingertip, and in the center was a bright yellow cluster. "Yarrow means healing."
The man laughed heartily, "You seem to have grasped the meaning of my tea house perfectly. I would love those beautiful flowers to sit in my humble tea shop."
As the girl began preparing the flowers for the journey, the man ambled on.

"I have a nephew who is in need of a little healing as well. Maybe this will help him."

The girl smiled again, handing him the flowers and taking the coins he offered.

"Perhaps it will," she whispered. The girl knew all too well how helpful flowers could be, how they could comfort unlike any human could. Seeming to pick up on her thoughts, the old man pulled out a scrap of paper, and quickly jotted something down.

"If you are ever in the need of a cup of tea, of just an ear to listen, come to this address." Hesitantly, the girl took the paper, watching the old man leave with a smile on his face.

o0o o0o o0o

As the sun was going down, the girl began packing up. She grasped the worn handles of her cart, and began the long trek back to her house. But before she had walked ten pases, a figure marched up to her. It was a boy, perhaps a few years older than herself, dressed in light armor. His skin was surprisingly dark, the tan of one who had rarely been in under a roof. Messy brown hair, chocolate eyes, and tall, the boy was a tad intimidating. The girl shrunk away from the boy, spying the hooked swords he wore on his belt.

Taking a straw from his mouth, the boy leaned his face close to the girl. She couldn't help noticing he smelled of pine trees.

"So, what flower would you suggest for me?"

His voice was so haughty and proud that the girl immediately did not like him. hurriedly, she reached into her cart, pulling out a large bright blue flower and thrusting it into his face. The cluster of flowers was big enough to sit in both hands comfortably, and was the most startling, electric blue.

"Hydrangea," she hissed, "meaning vanity."

The boy frowned, then grinned widely, placing the straw back in his mouth.

"If you give me that,' he pulled the flower from her grasp, bringing it up to his face and taking a deep breath of the sent. "It must mean you can see something for me to be vain about."

The girls pale face pinkened, and she could not help the irritated feeling rising within her. She made to walk off again, but the boy jumped in front of her before she had even taken two steps.

"So, what is the angry girl's name?"

She just glared at him, not saying a word.

"You don't want to tell me? or is it you don't have one?"

Glaring at him, the girl could not help but feel the stab. He didn't know how true he had been. Something must have shone on her face, for the boy immediately spoke up.

"I'm sorry if I brought up something I shouldn't have," he whispered. Reaching around her, he plucked a flower from the cart, and tucked it behind her ear. "This flower suits you. What is it called?"

"Ca-camellia"

"Camellia." The boy tasted the name, then grinned again. "Alright, I'll call you Camellia now." Giving her a casual salute, he sauntered off, leaving the embarrassed girl to blush. "See you tomorrow!" he called over his shoulder.

The girl pulled the flower out of her hair, staring at the flower. It was a bright, vivid red, several petals layered on top of each other. In the center several yellow stems nested, the stems laden with pollen. She blushed as she recalled the meaning of the flower. You're the flame in my heart.

Suddenly, Camellia looked up. The boy was still within sight, waving the flower over his shoulder. Anger filled her, as her voice cracked across the park.

"You have to pay for that!"

o0o o0o o0o

Smellerbee looked up as the door to their little house swung open. Jet had been gone for a very long time, and the tomboy had been back from work for a while. Jet sauntered in, a smug grin on his face. More surprising then that was what he held in his hand. Longshots eyebrow rose at the flower, but Jet just laughed.

"I found someone interesting." Was Jets cryptic reply. Smellerbee just stared. It had been a long time since Jet had smiled the way he was now, staring down at the large flower. Ever sense the freedom fighters had come to Ba Sing Se, Jet had been even more secretive, closed off. Grabbing one of the chipped cups, Jet filled it with water and dropped the stem in. Someone interesting was a bit of an understatement. For a reason Jet couldn't quite place, the girl, Camellia, had seemed familiar. It pricked his curiosity, and Jet could not wait for tomorrow.

He set the flower next to his mat on the floor, and quickly got ready for bed. As always, when he crawled onto the mat, his hooked swords were well within reach. His mind wandered again to Camellia. Maybe it was something about her appearance, but that wouldn't help Jet. He had always been a little uncaring of how girls looked, and never payed any attention. The only things about appearance he noticed was the weapons hidden under robes, red cloth, and cruel, hate filled eyes of fire nation scum.

Tomorrow would be interesting indeed.