Note from the author;
More story. I know, this part probably seems 'scene and character setting boringness', but there is plenty of action to come, don't worry! XD
i hope you enjoy reading!
When Mei returned home with no tomatoes, she trudged into the kitchen, threw her backpack on the small table and before slumped down on a chair.
" Jiu?" She called as bandit rested his chin on her lap. "Jiu! You here?!" She asked again, hearing some mutters from the reception. Mei realised she was talking to someone, so she decided to empty out the shopping before walking into the reception after the voices went quiet. Seeing Jiu behind the desk and no-one else around any more, she went up to her.
Jiu smiled at her. "Ah, you're back?"
"Yeah got back a few minutes ago." Mei bit her lip. "Jiu, the market was so busy today. I got everything you need other than the-"
"Tomatoes? I know." Jiu chuckled, closing the signing book.
"How do you know!?" Mei gasped in disbelief.
"Ping phoned me up and told me about what'd happened." She laughed and looked at her with a kind smile. "Anyway, we have a new girl in room one and she has an animal that needs taking into the stables. It's just tied up on the post outside the door."
Mei nodded. She starting walking towards the entrance of the hotel.
"And you have a cabbage to return to Ping tomorrow!" Jiu added.
Mei sighed and walked out of the hotel and looked up. She gasped.
The Bison tied to the post saw Mei and growled. He edged backwards.
"You've got to be kidding me…" She groaned as she untied the rope. The Bison snorted at her and jolted his head back so the rope slipped out of her hands.
"Oh, Come on, I can't leave you out here. Just let me-" Mei made a grab for the rope, but he swung his head away from her hand.
"Hey!" Mei snapped. She made another grab for the rope, and he made her miss again. She stumbled forwards.
The Bison let out a soft gruff, watching her.
Mei squinted. "Are you laughing at me?"
The Bison opened his mouth wide, as if he were grinning.
Mei stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Hey! Its not funny!"
The Bison gurgled and walked forward. Mei stood still, a beast this big standing over her was odd. He sniffed Mei and made another content noise. Mei raised her arm, and slowly took hold of the rope. There was no hesitation from the Bison. He lowered his head so his eyes were level with hers.
"I'm Mei," She smiled. She raised her other hand. His fur was within arms reach. She put a hand on his head, and he blinked. He bobbed his head forward and gurgled again. She smiled wider and stroked his fur.
"Uh..." Mei started, staring into his eyes. "I'm sorry about calling you fat earlier. I was just angry."
The Bison snorted softly again, as if he were accepting her apology. Mei heard the door to the hotel swing open and close. She looked over and saw Bandit look up at her with confusion. He trotted forward and looked at the other animal. He arched his back and growled, and in return the bison roared back.
"Settle down, Bandit!" Mei bent down and ruffled Bandit's head fur. He sat and calmed down. Mei then returned to the Bison, and patted him. "This is Bandit, Bandit, this is... Uh, Hat? Was that what she called you?"
"Hai, actually." A voice from above said sternly.
Mei jumped and looked up. The girl who owned Hai was looking out of the window.
"What are you doing?" She asked. She didn't sound angry or upset.
"W-well- Jiu- the person who owns the hotel- asked me to take Hai around to the stables." Mei explained, letting go of the rope.
"You work here?" She asked, leaning out of the window.
Mei nodded. "Sure do! I live here too. And I'm thinking of charging you extra for letting Hai in the stables." She smirked, rocking back and forth on her heels.
"Hey!" Yushi scowled at Mei, pointing at her. "You can't do that!"
"It's going to cost 3 silvers." She laughed looking up to her. "Nah, I'm just messing with you."
The girl rolled her eyes, looking back at Suki who had just landed on her back.
Mei took hold of the rope again. "I'll take him around, then?" She said awkwardly, pointing in the direction of the stables.
"Yeah, whatever." Yushi muttered, stroking her purring cat bird.
Mei started leading Hai away, before stopping and looking back up. "Hey, I'm sorry about shouting before. Its just, ya know... Tomatoes, am I right?"
Yushi rolled her head back down. "Apology accepted! You seem nice when you're not angry." She complimented.
"Yeah, I've had a tough life." Mei said quietly.
"Really?" She lowered her eyebrows sadly.
Mei nodded, looking at her feet.
"Wait there," Yushi said. "Hai!"
Hai stood up as soon as he heard her say his name. He saw her lean further out of the window. He walked nearer to the wall and hoisted himself up onto his back feet, standing like a human. She climbed out of the window and onto his head, clinging to a horn. He pushed away from the wall and returned to the ground on all six feet, and she slipped off of his head and onto the ground next to Mei-Lei.
"What-" Mei started, before Bandit started growling again at the cat bird.
"Suki, shush!" The girl said to her pet. The animal flapped off of her shoulders and landed in front of Bandit. They touched noses.
"Aw! They're friends!" Yushi exclaimed, running over to them. "Bandit is so cute!"
Mei grinned. "Thanks!"
Yushi stroked him before he ran behind Hai and started to run up his tail. Suki followed, and Yushi stood back up. "My names Yushi, by the way."
"I'm Mei-Lei, but just call me Mei." She smiled.
"So, you said you've had a tough life?" Yushi asked.
"Well, when I was younger, yes. Now I've moved here with Jiu I'm much happier." They started walking to the stables, Hai following with Bandit and Suki on his back.
"So, what made it so... Hard?" Yushi said. "Not to be rude, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No, its ok. I..." She thought. "My mum hated me. My dad died when I was little and I felt hated. I ran away and found Ba Sing Se and Jiu took me in."
"Gosh." Yushi said, looking at her. "How old were you?"
"About five years old." Mei replied.
"How did you survive?!" Yushi asked.
"When I left, I took my dad's ukulele with me. I also found Bandit a few days after I'd left, and he just came along with me, didn't you boy?" Mei looked back, hearing a yap from him. "With the ukulele, i started busking after Bandit lead me to small towns. We eventually found our way here when i was eight and Jiu took me in, and I've been here ever since."
"Wow! Thats so exciting," Yushi said. They stopped as Mei opened the door to the stable.
"I guess." Mei smiled, walking inside. "So what about you? Where are your parents?"
"Oh, well my story's pretty boring. I lived with my parents and brother in the southern water tribe, and after I found Suki and Hai I had a taste for adventure. I had a good life there, but then mum and dad tell me a few days ago i have an arranged marriage with some big ego idiot of the Northern water tribe!"
"That sucks!" Mei said, opening a stable door.
"I know right? So then that's when i ran away. I left them a note saying stuff like 'I don't want to live in a place where I'm not allowed to make my own decisions', 'I'm going on holiday to the earth kingdom' and 'I'll send you letters when i get there'." Yushi explained.
Hai walked into his stable. "So your parents know your in Ba Sing Se?"
"Yes. I'm just hoping to stay hidden encase they send out any search parties." She said.
"Well, your doing a great job; walking around with your big noticeable bison next to you, your unusual blonde hair and water tribe outfit on." Mei teased.
Yushi giggled. "But, my hair isn't that unusual is it?"
Mei shook her head. She saw Yushi turn to her companions.
"I'll come and check on you in a bit, Hai. You too Suki." Yushi said to them.
"You stay here for a bit Bandit, you need some friends." Mei turned back to her as they stood up. "Tea will be ready soon. Shall we go back?"
"Sure!" Yushi agreed. "It's nice to meet you, Mei. Who knew you wouldn't be as mean after i talked to you?
"Hah-hah. Very funny." Mei said sarcastically. They were starting to walk back.
"So, what do you like to do for fun?" Yushi asked.
"I like playing my ukelele. I do other stuff, too, but thats what i like the most. Bandit likes it too. What about you?"
"I don't know... Oh! I like drawing, sleeping, bending, watching the sky, that sort of thi-"
"Wait!" Mei yelled. "What did you say?"
Yushi shook her head in question. "What do you mean? Weren't you listening?"
"No, I was! Did you say bending?!" She said, stopping walking.
"Uh, yeah," Yushi replied, stopping too.
"That's amazing! So you're an actual water-bender?"
"Yeah I guess! Im not that good though. My parents were too protective so i couldn't practice," Yushi said. "I only found out "It's gonna cost 3 silvers," she laughed looking up to Yushi with a playful grin, "Nah, I'm just messing with you."
Yushi rolled her eyes, looking back at Suki who had just landed on her back.
Mei took hold of the rope again. "I'll take him around, then?" She said awkwardly, pointing in the direction of the stables.
"Yeah, whatever." Yushi muttered, stroking her purring cat bird.
Mei started leading Hai away, before stopping and looking back up. "Hey, I'm sorry about shouting before. Its just, ya know... Tomatoes, am I right?"
Yushi rolled her head back down. "Apology accepted! You seem nice when you're not angry," She complimented.
"Yeah, I've had a tough life," Mei said quietly.
"Really?" She lowered her eyebrows sadly.
Mei nodded, looking at her feet.
"Wait there," Yushi said. "Hai!"
Hai stood up as soon as he heard Yushi say his name. He saw her lean further out of the window. He walked nearer to the wall and hoisted himself up onto his back feet, standing like a human. Yushi climbed out of the window and onto his head, clinging to a horn. He pushed away from the wall and returned to the ground, and Yushi slipped off of his head and onto the ground next to Mei-Lei.
"What-" Mei started, before Bandit started growling again. Suki, on Yushi's back, was hissing and spitting back at him.
"Uh-oh," Yushi gulped. She grabbed Suki off of her back and pinned her in her arms.
Mei kneeled next to Bandit. "How do we stop them?"
Yushi shrugged. "I don't know!"
Meanwhile, Hai was getting annoyed by all of the commotion. He roared at the group, making them all fall silent.
Suki flattened her ears, understanding that she had to do what Hai told her to. She squeezed out of Yushi's hand and flapped over to Bandit, who sat staring at her. She landed, and cautiously edged over to him, bending low to the ground. Bandit slid against the pavement to a lying position, so they were at equal heights.
They touched noses, and both stood back up, happy they were friends.
"Aw!" Yushi exclaimed, running over to them. "Bandit is so cute!"
Mei grinned. "Thanks!"
Yushi stroked him before he ran behind Hai and started to run up his tail. Suki followed, and Yushi stood back up. "So, you said you've had a tough life?"
"Well, when I was younger, yes. Now I've moved here with Jiu I'm much happier." They started walking to the stables, Hai following with Bandit and Suki on his back.
"So, what made it so... Hard?" Yushi said. "Not to be rude, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to,"
"No, its ok. I..." She thought. "My mum hated me. My dad died when I was little and I felt hated."
"Gosh," Yushi said, looking at her. "How old were you?"
"About 5." Mei replied.
"How did you survive?!" Yushi asked.
"When I left, I took my dad's ukulele with me. I also found Bandit a few days after I'd left, and he just came along with me, didn't you boy?" Mei looked back, hearing a yap from him. "With the ukelele, i started busking after Bandit lead me to small towns. We eventually found our way here when i was 8 and Jiu took me in, and i've been here ever since."
"Wow! Thats so exciting," Yushi said. They stopped as Mai opened the door to the stable.
"I guess," Mei smiled, walking inside. "So what about you? Where are your parents?"
"Oh, well my story's pretty boring. I lived with my parents and brother in the southern water tribe, and after I found Suki and Hai I had a taste for adventure. But to my mum and dad, after i found them i had to be kept safe. So i wasn't allowed to do much, and then mum and dad tell me a few days ago i have an arranged marriage with some big ego idiot of the Northern water tribe."
"That sucks," Mei said, opening a stable door.
"I know right? So then that's when i ran away. I left them a note saying stuff like 'I don't want to live in a place where I'm not allowed to make my own decisions', 'I'm moving to the earth kingdom' and 'I'll send you letters when i get there'." Yushi explained.
Hai walked into his stable. "So your parents know your in Ba Sing Sai?"
"Yes. I'm just hoping to stay hidden incase they send out and search parties." She said.
"Well, your doing a great job, walking around with your big bison next to you, your unusual blonde hair and water tribe outfit on," Mei teased.
Yushi giggled. "But, my hair isn't that unusual is it?"
Mei shook her head. She saw Yushi turn to her companions.
"I'll come and check on you in a bit, Hai. You too Suki." Yushi said to them.
"You stay here for a bit Bandit, you need some friends." Mei turned back to her as they stood up. "Tea will be ready soon. Shall we go back?"
"Sure!" Yushi agreed. "It's nice to meet you, Mei. You're not half that bad once you're not shouting."
Mei stuck her tongue out at her. "So, what do you do for fun?" They were walking back to the hotel.
"I enjoy drawing. I like to ride Hai too, and bending-"
"Bending?!" Mei coughed, choking o her own spit.
"Uh, yeah!" Yushi smiled.
"So you're an actual water-bender?!" Mei asked, excited.
"I guess so, yes. I'm not that good though because after i found Hai my safety was priority and so i wasn't allowed to practice."
"When did you find out?" Mei asked.
"The day i found Hai." She replied. "Can you do any bending?"
Mei stopped. "Uh, no."
Yushi stopped as well. She squinted. "Are you sure?"
Mei darted her eyes away from Yushi's. "Yes,"
Yushi put her hands on her hips. "Ok, I can tell you're lying. One thing you should know about me is that I'm a good judge of character, and you look made to be an earth bender."
Mei sighed. She looked at her.
"Go on. If you want me to keep it a secret, i can. I promise i wont let you down," Yushi told her.
"Ok... I can earthbend."
"Knew it!" Yushi exclaimed. "But why would you want to keep something like that a secret?"
Mei thought. "I don't know."
Yushi stopped again. "You're not lying, are you?"
Mei shook her head. "Now can we go inside? I'm hungry,"
Yushi sighed. "Ok. What's on the menu?"
Mei opened the door and let Yushi walk through first. "Well, for guests of the hotel its all on the actual menu for you to choose. Because i work and live here with Jiu, its noodles like usual."
"Don't you eat the same as the guests?" Yushi frowned, walking through.
"No, we cook for the guests and when we're done its late so we dont get time to cook something big. So we just make something small,"
"Oh," Yushi murmured.
"But its still nice. I'm used to it, coming from a farm." She replied.
"Mei? Mei!" Jiu came through their kitchen into the reception area behind the desk. She saw the two girls. "Oh! There you are! And i see you've finally made a friend?"
Mei rolled her eyes. "Yep,"
"Yushi, isn't it?" Jiu asked. "Did you get to your room alright?"
"Yes, thanks." Yushi nodded and smiled. "Oh, Mei, i need to write a letter to my parents. Just to let them know i'm ok."
"Ok, i'll help you if you like! But lets have some noodles first." She grinned.
