Sup peeps! I'm back again! ok, so harvest moon fic going pretty good, ill let yall know when its up and running...has anyone out there played harvest moon? more specifically more friends of mineral town? watev, its cool. enjoy the story!
Fiery and Forbidden: Chapter 14
Chiye grimaced again, "I thought there wasn't going to be any walking."
"I said that there wouldn't be much walking. I never said that there wouldn't be any at all." Iroh replied nonchalantly.
After departing the ferry, the three travelers were forced to hike along with the other passengers in order to reach the trolley. However, there were so many passengers that there was already a long line to get to the trolley terminal. The slow movement of the crowds in addition to the hike was putting a strain on Chiye's twisted ankle, even though Zuko had supported her the whole way.
He repositioned Chiye's arm awkwardly. Although Zuko had offered many times to carry her, Chiye insisted that she walk along side him while he held her right arm around his shoulders and wrapped his left hand around her waist.
"It wouldn't hurt so much if you just got on my back," Zuko said gruffly again as he struggled to see through the sweat formulating on his brow.
"I told you already, I'm just fine," she said as she winced again from the icy needles shooting through her foot.
It seemed like hours before they finally reached the front of the line. However, when they arrived, a sour, chubby hag awaited with a frown on her plump face and a large stamp in her left hand.
"passports," she said flatly, resting a large cheek against her equally large palm.
They each handed the woman their passports. She opened each one briefly, barely moving from her position.
"So that's," she opened the first again, "Lee," she opened the second "Mushy—"
"Actually, it's pronounced Mushi." Iroh interjected.
The hag merely grunted before opening the last one, "and…Goosha?"
Zuko and Iroh looked at Chiye, startled. She merely smiled at the woman and nodded. "Yes Ma'am."
The woman, however, noticed the surprised looks of the two boys. Her look of boredom completely disappeared as she eyed them suspiciously. "You three are traveling together, aren't you? Don't you know her name?"
Iroh laughed suddenly, a little louder than necessary, "of course we know her name, but—" he leaned his elbow against the hag's desk, "I don't believe I know your name."
The hag's face changed once again, this time from suspicion to a creepy form of flirtation, "Well, if you ever come by again, maybe I'll tell you…rowr." She growled as she handed the passports back to Iroh.
"Oh, I will," Iroh winked before leaving the giggling old woman.
Zuko groaned as he walked Chiye to a bench, "tell me I didn't just see that."
Chiye nodded sympathetically, "I wish I could unsee that."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The trolley wasn't due to arrive for another half hour. This meant that Zuko, Iroh, and Chiye had to fight their way through the thick crowds in an attempt to find a place to sit. Through the screaming children, fat tourists, and generally mental people, they found the corner of the vast terminal to be a lot less inhabited.
Zuko lowered Chiye onto one of the unoccupied benches. "Thanks," she said, rubbing her swollen ankle "much more of that, and I would have to amputate the whole leg."
Zuko smiled and sat next to her. Iroh, on the other hand, had spotted a tea vender and was running after him faster than a flying bison.
The former prince sighed, "Aren't old men supposed to be feeble?"
Chiye giggled, "The way he moves like that, you'd think that he was only three years old."
"He's just enthusiastic about a hobby," Jet stepped from out of the crowds, with Longshot and Smellerbee behind him.
Chiye smiled and nodded at his comment, but Zuko only looked away. What could this commoner want now?
"Look, I know you two already refused," Jet continued, "but I want you to know, the freedom fighters are around. It's never too late to join."
Chiye's smile faded as she looked down guiltily. She hated to refuse, but there was something about Jet that felt…unsafe.
Zuko, however, stood up, "Let's talk over there," he said, indicating Jet and a corner of the room. Jet smirked and nodded. The guy must have finally come to his senses.
Chiye rose as well, but Zuko glanced at her and shook his head. "Wait here for my uncle" he said before leaving. Chiye sat down again, silently, and folded her hands in her lap while searching for Mushi. He was still at the tea vendor's cart, complaining about how cold the tea was.
Zuko, once reaching the end of the room, turned around to face Jet. "Look," he said, crossing his arms, "you need to stop asking about joining your little gang. We're not interested."
Jet merely smirked and raised a hand to the straw in his mouth, "Maybe you aren't, but maybe she is." He tossed his head slightly in the direction of Chiye, where Iroh had just returned with a cup of tea in his hands and a sullen look on his face.
Zuko's eyes narrowed, "stop asking her. You know she wouldn't be able to refuse by herself."
Jet turned around and closed his eyes, his smirk never leaving his face.
"That's what I'm counting on."
In only a moment, Zuko stepped forward and grabbed Jet's collar, forcing him to turn around. "Stay away from her," Zuko snarled, his face inches away from the rogue's.
But that terrible smirk on Jet's face only widened, "You gonna hit me, or what? It would only help turn her around to my side."
Zuko's face twitched as he disgustedly shoved Jet back. Jet, however, only stumbled slightly before standing up straight and brushing the dust off his front. "Too bad," he said, "you would have made a great freedom fighter."
Zuko glared at Jet one last time before striding back to Chiye. He would have to be careful with her from now on. This was different from the times when a strange man would gawk at her—Jet was out to recruit Chiye into some street gang. To make it worse, Zuko had seen Jet's speed and stealth back at the ferry, when they were stealing the food. Jet wasn't an amateur with a sword, he was a real fighter. Zuko wasn't sure if he could beat Jet in a fight…
"Let me see it," Chiye grabbed Iroh's tea from his hand.
"No, it's all right, I can drink it cold!" Iroh desperately tried to snatch the tea back, but Chiye evaded.
She looked at the brown-green liquid in the cup. Small pieces of dried tea leaves swirled within the liquid, as steam floated from its surface. Zuko froze in his tracks—
Iroh had firebended the drink.
A cold wind blew from his head all the way down to his feet. A rock landed right in his gut. The scene before him swirled. All he could think was, "I've been found out…I've been found out…it's over…"
"…It's not cold…" Chiye whispered, still staring at the cup.
Zuko's pulse quickened. His heart felt like it was going to thrust right out of his chest. All of his memories with Chiye swirled in his mind. What was going to happen now? What was he going to do? This couldn't be the end, could it?
Chiye handed the cup back to Iroh, "I can't believe you could even drink tea that's hotter than this. You'd better be careful, otherwise you'll scar your throat."
Zuko almost fell flat on his face. After all that, she didn't get it? How dense was she? Thank Agni she didn't…
He turned around and looked back at Jet. Just before he walked away, Zuko thought that he saw the faintest expression of discovery on Jet's face.
Discovery…mixed with anger…mixed with triumph