"Hey Chagatai," Cahaya stalked up next to him. They were on the roof of Noboru's shop and home. Jampa was meditating in front of him, her eyes open and concentrated on Chagatai. Chagatai held a piece of paper, which was on fire in the center. Chagatai glared furiously at the paper as it slowly burned.
"Ah, the old 'Don't let the leaf burn' lesson. Yeah, I remember that one. It's kind of hard when you first try it. I mean, fire and flame is easy, but to control it, that takes a lot of practice and a lot of concentration," Cahaya said.
Chagatai kept his eyes on the paper, sweat rolling down his forehead. It was a hot day in early June, and he'd just been working in the workshop working with glass. He was still learning how to lay glass properly.
"I remember when they had me learn it back home in the Fire Nation. I practiced and practiced on leaves until I was able to extinguish or move the fire off the paper. When they were confident I could do it, my dad set my favorite toy on fire, and I had to stop it. I shot the flames at him, and he grounded me soooo hard for that, but I was soooo mad at him. He was kind of mean, but I'm a really good firebender because of it, so I guess there's that. I just wish I'd been quicker when I fought Baoyin. How do you think he does that, anyway? Do you think I could learn how to Soundbend like Baoyin, even though I'm originally a Firebender? It can't be more difficult than electricity. But then again I never learned electricity. I don't think any of my family has ever used lightning. That's not really their thing."
"Cahaya," Chagatai panted, "Would you like to sit and meditate with Jampa? It might help you assert greater control over your new Airbending powers."
"Naw, I'm too antsy. Hue is working on a dress from Foggy Bottom Swamp using water weeds. Some sort of traditional short skirt. It shows a lot of leg and thigh and tummy, it's probably for special events."
As Cahaya described Hue's outfit, Chagatai kept picturing Hue wearing it, and his concentration wavered. The fire started to spread faster, but the image of Hue wearing it, moving around in it, rocking her hips to and fro, the weeds teasing glances to the skin beneath…Chagatai thought of her touch, and unintentionally started thinking about Hue's touch, and imagining what the rest of her skin must feel like…The paper burst into an open flame. It took Chagatai a moment to realize he was keeping the flame hovering between his hands.
"AH!" he let the fire go, and it fizzled into the air. Cahaya burst into laughter. Jampa grimaced, and started digging into her pocket, producing a handful of Yuan as Cahaya held out her hand. Cahaya accepted her bounty to her pocket, and sat next to Jampa. She closed her eyes and started to meditate. Chagatai grumbled to himself and stood. He didn't like being the butt of other people's jokes like that. Chagatai went inside to get something to eat and drink.
In the kitchen, he found that Noboru was not alone. A muscular Earth Kingdom man with a long, graying beard hanging off his face sat opposite of the Firebender. It wasn't Muscles; this man's face was wider and his muscles weren't a pronounced. The man's face was mostly buried under beard.
"This must be him, then. Chagatai, wasn't it?" the Earth Kingdom man stood, offering his hand. Chagatai shook it, and bowed.
"Yes, sir."
"I am General Shili. I am the Greater Earth Kingdom representative. I heard a rumor that the Avatar had been found."
"Has he?" Chagatai asked passively; people weren't supposed to know he was the Avatar, not yet. He opened the fridge, pulled out some leftover fish and a pitcher of melonade.
"It's you, isn't it, boy? Chagatai, from the Si Wong Desert?"
"I'm Chagatai, from the Si Wong desert, yes," Chagatai nodded, pouring himself a glass. Rokar, Chagatai's Gilacorn lizard, was on the window sill, soaking up sun rays and enjoying the warm day. In less than a month, the lizard had hit a growth spurt, doubling in size from two inches long to four inches long, and he got bigger every day at a growing pace. Chagatai placed a piece of the fish in front of the lizard, who considered the morsel before devouring it. Chagatai took a seat next to Noboru.
"I know you're the Avatar, boy. You have a duty to the people, and to your country!"
"My country is my tribe, sir. I owe the Earth Kingdom nothing."
Chagatai dug into his fish, cooling down with chugs of his melonade. The General clenched his teeth.
"Is that so?"
"My people live without the Earth Kingdom, save for a little bit of trade. In fact you come to our lands. I would be so bold to say that the Earth Kingdom owes the Sandbender tribes a good deal."
"And yet you used our roads to come here, to Republic City. Your brother used our hospital. Not to mention that you are here unregistered," the General said, "All of which can be ignored if you simply tell me the truth, boy. Are you not the Avatar?"
"You do not need papers to come to Republic City! What a preposterous accusation!" Noboru stood. Chagatai just kept eating.
"Oh, haven't you heard? The Earth Kingdom has been keeping a closer track of who comes and goes to find out who is smuggling illicit goods. You need paperwork to enter the Earth Kingdom. If Chagatai or his brother were to be caught entering the Earth Kingdom without papers, they could be in serious trouble."
"So you're going to threaten and bully a fifteen year old boy? Is that how our elected officials are supposed to act? General, I must ask you to leave my house."
Chagatai sighed, "What do you want, sir?"
The General smiled, and leaned back in his chair, "I wanted to offer the Avatar an opportunity. Training. I understand that yo-the Avatar-has to learn Firebending first. The Avatar should continue his Earthbending studies as well. There is a lot they have to learn still. They're only fifteen, after all. I've come to offer the Avatar my personal attention."
"Why didn't you just say so in the first place?"
"So you'll accept my offer?"
"No, you threatened me! I don't want anything to do with you! And if you try to hurt my family, we'll have a problem, and I'll _show_ you what I know. I don't want to see you again, I don't care who you are or what you're capable of. You're a bully."
Shili scowled. The expression made it seem that his beard was trying to eat the rest of his face. My offer is a standing one. Tell Sonam if you change your mind, Chagatai."
"As you wish. Please don't tell anyone else you found me, or we'll have words."
General Shili stood, and left without another word. Noboru turned to Chagatai.
"You should have let me handle that, Chagatai, instead of making him an enemy."
He shrugged, "If he's going to be my enemy, it doesn't matter who told him to leave. He would have been my enemy either way. And besides, what's he going to do? Arrest me? My brother? Attack me? Somehow I get the impression being the enemy of the Avatar is not something he wants."
"Don't expect people to lay down for you, Chagatai, because of your position."
"I understand. But I can expect it of people to not threaten my family when we first meet."
"That's a good point. But the point remains, you haven't made a friend."
"'Oh, hey are you the Avatar? I want to teach you Earthbending!' 'Oh, boy, that sounds great! I'd love to learn more Earthbending!' Honestly, how hard is that? I mean, that's what you did. But he's got a point, I should keep learning Earthbending. I practice with my brother, but he's not a master. But I already know a lot. I've got to learn Firebending next, so I guess it's something I can set aside."
"Where is your brother, anyway?"
"Where else? He's looking for work."
Tolui shuffled down the street, defeated and rejected from another warehouse. Evidently, tracking and desert survival skills did not translate well into employment in the city, and there simply wasn't enough work to go around as it was. He was the fifteen person in line that day, and of the fifteen, none were hired. Tolui was starting to get notices about his debt mailed to Huang's apartment already.
Hang had paid a bit of the debt, enough to hold back the tide of debt collection harassment, but it that dam was starting to crumble. Tolui was going to need steady employment, and soon. The Airbenders weren't willing to pick up his debt, and Hoi was yet to send any money.
Tolui found that he'd shuffled to the street where the Steady Stream was, and he felt his joints turn to stone at the thought of it. The fight had brought police to the speakeasy, and while the police hadn't had a warrant or cause to raid it, their presence seemed to have scared everyone away from the speakeasy. He didn't want to risk angering Mister Shen by asking for money, but it'd been partially Tolui's fault that the speakeasy had shut down. He owed Mister Shen an apology.
Tolui stepped into the café, and approached the hostess.
"Is Mister Shen here?"
"No, I'm afraid he isn't, would you like to speak with my manager, though?"
"No, that's fi-"
"Tolui!" Mister Shen called out from the other side of the café. The hostess winced, and Mister Shen strode over, beckoning to Tolui. The hostess gave a sheepish, apologetic smile. Tolui smiled back, giving her a nod. Mister Shen brought Tolui to an office behind the kitchens. It was not nearly as nice as his office in the Speakeasy; he was surrounded by boxes of supplies like paper napkins.
"I was afraid I wasn't going to see you again! You're the talk of the town!"
"I am?"
"Oh, yeah! Everyone's talking about your fight with Baoyin. It's launched both of you to infamy: The Koh drug dealer Airbender, and the Earthbender who has vowed his revenge! I've had to keep the speakeasy closed these last couple of weeks to wait for the police to stop sniffing around. I'm sorry about your brother, Tolui. I'd like to help you track down Baoyin. Do you still need a job?"
"Uh, my brother? Oh, Baoyin was lying about that. My brother's fine. He's staying with a friend. Baoyin was just trying to get a rise out of me."
Mister Shen nodded, scratching the fuzz on his chin; Mister Shen was attempting a goatee. So far he was succeeding.
"I see. I'm glad he's okay. Listen, next week I'm planning on re-opening the Steady Streak speakeasy. I'd like to see you guarding my customers again. You impressed everyone the way you chased after Baoyin. You might get a lot of people wanting to talk to you, which is great for business."
"Oh, uh, I'd like that very much, sir."
"I can't pay you the same of what I promised you last time, but I'll return to my normal price the weekend after. I've got to recover my expenses. Speaking of which," he dug into the desk, and produced some money, handing it to Tolui, "This isn't all of what I owe you, but I'll make it up to you in the coming weeks. Also, you remember the Bender arena you fought in? What do you think of doing it again?"
"The Earthbender arena? Uh, well, it was fun, I guess."
"Fun? You beat all but two of your opponents. Word's getting around that a powerful Bender's come into the city and nobody knows who he is, and I know it's you. If you show up for a surprise match, Tolui, and the match after that is going to be packed. And best of all, those matches happen twice a week. You ever consider becoming an Arena Bender?"