Chapter 25: Surprise, Surprise.
P.S: I'd forgotten how money works in the World of Avatar so I just improvised.
P.P.S: I was way too lazy to Google it.
"Ten silver pieces please," the saleslady of a jewellery store said to a 'noblewoman-transformed' Suki with an obvious fake smile on her face. Suki paid the saleslady who looked like she was in her late forties with already greying hair while Katara waited outside of the shop, people-watching. The store had gotten quite crowded since there was some sort of sale or good bargain going on, and Katara felt suffocated in the sea of women and young girls-especially when they were all wearing constricting robes and she had on a long-sleeved, floor length dress that was probably the most unsuitable thing to wear out in the sun. But it was either that or the multi-layered gown she had found in Azula's old closet.
"Phew!" Suki cried, staggering out of the bustling shop with her shiny purchases. Katara chuckled as the Kyoshi Warrior excitedly bounded over to her with a triumphant grin. Suki then took the younger girl's right hand in hers before fastening a ruby-adorned solid gold bracelet around her wrist. The gold band was shaped to look like a snake's head meeting its thin, tapered tail. Its eyes were two tiny rubies and the body was lined with even smaller pieces of rubies that were dotted on in a wave-like pattern. Whenever the gems caught the sunlight, it glinted in a way that resembled tiny blips of fire.
"Suki this is gorgeous!" Katara gushed, liking how the jewellery glittered the sunlight. Suki beamed with satisfaction before fastening a similar looking bracelet on her left wrist except instead of rubies, the gems adorned on it were sunstones.
"Oh it should be!" Suki exclaimed, admiring the bracelets as they started walking down the street away from the jewellery store now echoing with female screams and yells. "I managed to swipe off seven silver pieces for these things! Thought we ought to get something for our friendship. Something a bit more luxurious than usual, of course."
Katara smiled crookedly at the Kyoshi Warrior, who was still admiring the bracelet. She then mentally thought about how Suki could be her possible future sister-in-law, and how great that would be… And knowing that she would be welcome into the family no problem.
"So where to next?" the waterbender asked, looking around her surroundings of the Royal Caldera. "Please no more shops with crazy bargains. I actually want to get out of a store alive and trample-free. I have enough bruises from training already."
Suki laughed whimsically before looking around the area, tapping her chin decisively.
"How about some food? I know I am starting to sound like your brother right now but I do feel like having a bite," Suki suggested, pointing to a small but supposedly popular restaurant to the right across the street called The Golden Dragon. "I heard that place is famous for their soup-dumplings."
Katara simply shrugged. "Sure."
The two girls then made their way towards The Golden Dragon after bravely crossing a very busy street. Once they were inside the terracotta-gold-and-red themed restaurant that was shaped to resemble an Oriental Palace, a handsome and friendly male server called Zhen-Ming led them to the middle of the restaurant. Katara and Suki were shocked they could even find a table because once they'd entered; they realized that it was packed. And luckily the table they were seated at was the last two-seater available one left.
"So what can I get for you two pretty ladies today?" Zhen-Ming asked them politely, his hand holding a thin piece of wrapped charcoal to act as a pen poised over a thick stack of bound papers. "Shall I recommend today's special?"
Katara was too busy squinting at the large menu that was written on a huge piece of paper and pinned up on the terracotta walls. She also kept moving left and right to make out the words since people in front of her kept moving around.
But Suki knew the place better than waterbender, and looked up at Zhen-Ming with a smile.
"We'll have two servings of your Xiao-Long Bao and a pot of green tea for two please," she simply said, and their server quickly jotted down their orders at the speed of light. Katara was surprised to be able to hear the scratch of his charcoal pen against the paper since it was so crowded and noisy in there.
Zhen-Ming then bowed before tucking the charcoal-pen behind his right ear.
"Right away, Miss. Just ask for Zhen-Ming if you need anything else." And with that, the young man scurried off while dodging passing customers towards the kitchen.
"So he's cute," Suki remarked to Katara, gesturing to Zhen-Ming once he was out of earshot. "Sure, typical Fire Nation and all with the pale skin and black hair but nice eyes huh? Such a nice shade of brown too… And those cheekbones!"
"SUKI!" Katara gasped, laughing and swatting the Kyoshi Warrior's arm playfully. "You're dating my brother!" The waterbender then snuck another look at their server before smirking. "But….you're right… He does look kind of cute."
At the younger girl's words, Suki's eyes widened before both of them burst into a fit of girlish giggles. But they immediately straightened up when they saw Zhen-Ming approaching them again.
"Miss, can I have your name please?" he asked-either Suki or Katara. "I need to put at least your surname under your order."
"Tomi," Katara replied before Suki could even open her mouth. "It's Tomi."
Zhen-Ming nodded while writing Katara's undercover name on his stack of papers again. He then looked at Katara and smiled before bowing his head briefly again.
"Lovely name for a lovely noble-lady," he said, a slight pink tinge appearing on his cheeks. "I'll get your orders here as quick as I can, Lady Tomi."
Katara smiled and nodded her thanks, prompting him to take off for the kitchen again. She then looked at Suki, who was smirking up a storm, wagging her eyebrows.
"Lovely name for a lovely noble-lady," Suki echoed in a deeper voice to mimic Zhen-Ming's. "Look who's being all flirty! Don't forget about our almighty Fire Lord now!"
Katara scrunched up her nose and propped her elbows up on the table before leaning her chin on her palms. Her features suddenly impassive and droopy.
"How could I?" she mumbled, her previous worries slowly crashing back to her.
"Ah, home at last!" Amai sighed happily, stretching out her arms when she, Onni and their roommates reached the Royal Caldera City. They had made subtle changes in their appearances to mask their identities as rebels-especially the boys; in case of patrolling Royal Procession. At least Amai and her sister could get falsely vouched by close family members.
Zuko kept behind and a great distance between him and the group, silently sulking while keeping his eye level to the ground. Unlike his two other male roommates, Bacca and Reza were thrilled to be setting foot in the Royal Caldera, both wearing loose hoods and cloaks as they tailed the noble sisters. Their eyes darting left and right while gossiping about passing pretty noblewomen.
"Hey, come on Lee!" Reza called out to him, causing Zuko's head to snap up. "Hurry up! You're going to miss all the sights and ladies with you making goo-goo eyes at the ground!"
"I have a girlfriend!" Zuko hollered back, silently thinking of a way to reach his companions and girlfriend. He hoped they would stay put in the Palace-and hoped that…Spirits help him…his rebel 'gang' wouldn't get caught. That would ruin everything. Everything. All the work and putting up with the rebellious teens...
"That doesn't mean you should dawdle, Lee," Amai said sweetly, slowing down a bit for him until she was walking on his right. "Come on, our house isn't too far… Where's yours? Perhaps we might run into Jing and Tin-mi."
"Tomi," Zuko half-hissed, shooting a deadly glare towards Amai, who ignored the invisible daggers. "And where I live really is none of your concern. But I do have some things to take care of at home. Personal and private things that shouldn't be so publicly announced to people I don't even know very well."
"That's why we should bond!" Amai squealed happily, easily slipping her arm around his. Zuko glared at their linked arms and untangled them before slinking off and shuffling away from the group, much to the rebel girl's obvious distaste.
"Maybe later," he growled lightly before facing the rest of the group-who were all staring at him oddly. "I'll catch up with you later. I live here anyway…" Zuko then immediately darted off, careful not to go straight to the Palace.
"You know, my man can be so weird sometimes… Such a little loner!" Reza remarked, watching his new comrade run like the wind. "What do you think happened to him under Fire Lord Zuko's rule?"
"I hope it's nothing too bad," Bacca sniffed sympathetically as they walked on, following Onni and Amai. "He always seems so…angry and determined… One no less or more than the other, but both equally fierce."
"We are all angry and determined, Bacca," Onni said sharply, turning so that she could shoot the young boy a sideways glance. "Because a little wimp is taking the throne and degrading us all. Lee has the right to feel that way. But Reza's got a point… He's very…kept to himself. He's going to need help going up against Fire Lord Zuko, the Avatar and his companions not to mention the fools who support Zuko's reign. That's why we need to train hard."
The young boy pouted and lowered his head, but he still held his gaze in the direction where Lee had ran off to.
"I know..."
Making sure that he wasn't being watched or followed, Zuko swiftly raced towards the Palace gates underneath the physical berating of Fire Nation sun-breathing a big sigh of relief when he saw the two familiar guards Loong and Yun-Di on duty. He was at least more or less in a way familiar with them thanks to that one night.
The two guards that flanked the gates widened their eyes as he approached cautiously, instantly recognizing their Lord, but didn't bow-as to not give away his undercover identity.
"Where are Lady Katara and Lady Toph Bei Fong?" Zuko whispered hurriedly, but luckily the guards could hear him. "I have a small group of the rebels here who have connections to the nobility. But I do not want any arrests today."
The two guards nodded lightly with the fewest of movements in understanding.
"They aren't here," Loong quickly replied back with equal quietness. "Well at least the Lady Katara isn't. She and Lady Suki have gone into the city to stretch their legs. However we don't know where they went. But you should know that Lady Katara has gone under her current alias. The Lady Bei Fong is still within the Palace walls."
Zuko nearly smacked his forehead. What he would give at that moment for Suki and Toph to trade places… Toph was his so-called sister for Spirits' sake! It would've been so much easier!
"Is there anything else?" Zuko hissed, keeping his eyes fixated on his surroundings, focusing on the shadows.
Yun-Di and Loong shook their heads.
Zuko grunted and nodded them off before running off away from the Palace almost in a sprint. But he let his hands tap on materials made of wood such as wooden street lights or nearby trees for good measure.
Please don't let them run into each other… He silently begged the Spirits, hoping that they were in his favour today.
"These are delicious!" Katara exclaimed, her eyes as wide as Momo's after finishing her first soup-dumpling. It looked like a mere, generic dumpling with its translucent skin and meat filling, but the pork fat inside that had melted into a tasty soup provided a really nice kick to the palate-not to mention her fascination when the skin of dumpling was elastic enough to hold all the meat and soup without bursting or breaking when she'd picked it up with her slim wooden chopsticks.
"Told you so," Suki said triumphantly, smirking as she sucked the soupy-soul out of her dumpling. "But I'm sure that's not the only thing that's delicious in here." The Kyoshi Warrior then wagged her eyebrows suggestively before subtly gesturing with her chopsticks to Katara's back.
Katara raised an eyebrow before turning around to look as if she was scouting out the area-and caught their server looking at them over his shoulder while waiting for a table of young noblewomen's to order. The second he caught Katara's eye, Zhen-Ming immediately snapped his head back to the ladies in front of him.
The waterbender chuckled before picking up another soup-dumpling from the bamboo steam box. The fresh steam still wafted off the dish, indicating how dangerously hot it was. Suki had earlier warned Katara about the hot soup-filling when Zhen-Ming had brought them the steam box. The dough encased soup threatened to break out of its elastic shell and into the well of her spoon. It would be greatly upsetting if even one drop of the soup were to be wasted.
"But I'm afraid I'm taken," Katara said, sipping the steaming hot soup out after biting off a tiny hole in the dumpling skin. "I'm going to have to break some hearts."
"I weep for the stable boys and restaurant servers!" Suki exclaimed dramatically, as if in utter dismay. They then giggled once again while enjoying a presently wonderful meal.
"Tomi? Is that you?" an unfamiliar voice suddenly sounded above the restaurant crowd. Katara's ears perked up immediately out of both shock and panic before slowly turning her head around to the right. Her eyes widened at the sight before her-and who stood within her current peripheral view.
"Amai?" the waterbender squeaked, trying to keep her cool when she saw the familiar rebel with another girl and two more boys behind her.
"Tomi!" Amai squealed excitedly, instantly throwing her arms around Katara's neck in a choking hug. The waterbender immediately stiffened uncomfortably but reluctantly patted the other girl's back instead. "You're here too? That's so cool!"
"Amai? What… What're you doing here?" Katara stuttered, looking at the company Amai came with. The tallest boy in the group waved at her with a flirtatious smirk on his face while the smaller boy-obviously the youngest, was hiding behind the male teen, peeking at her from his back.
The rebel noble rolled her eyes and flipped her black hair as she shifted her weight to the left. "Duh-We got a day off, isn't that great? But it's so cool that we ran into each other!" She then gestured to her company. "This is my older sister, Onni and our roommates Reza and Bacca."
Katara raised an eyebrow at the four. So this is Bacca…she thought, smiling politely at the boy, who immediately blushed bright pink. But wasn't Bacca Zuko's roommate? And he was also Amai's roommate? …
Amai's. ROOMMATE. Oh Spirits...
"Nice to meet you all. I am… Tomi," Katara 'introduced' herself, bowing her head in greeting. Onni bowed formally while Reza just grinned away. Bacca looked like an innocent little child, with his eyes wide and shining and a wide smile spreading across his face from ear to ear.
"It's nice to finally meet Lee's girl," Reza said, giving Katara a once over. His eyes gleamed as they travelled up and down. "Damn. My boy got one gorgeous noblewoman. Don't you think so, Bacca?"
The younger boy nodded and smiled even more widely at Katara-if he wasn't part of the Phoenix Sons Katara would've cooed over the adorable little boy.
"Get us some seats, boys," Amai ordered Reza and Bacca-who quickly took off like mere servants. Katara wondered how long they would take since the restaurant was full. "I'm sure Tomi here wouldn't mind." She then turned to Katara with a smile. "So where's Jing? I assumed you two were stuck at the hip since she's Lee's sister and all. Who's your pretty little friend here?"
"Suri," Suki replied, nodding a small bow. Katara mentally rolled her eyes at Suki's undercover name. "Nice to meet you."
"My…sister," Katara added, a bit too quickly though. "We were just having lunch and we actually have to go soon, so…" The waterbender then gripped her friend's hand underneath the table, motioning to stand.
Onni waved them off with a dainty hand, and Katara instantly shut up and sat back down out of a slight, quivering fear that boiled inside of her. But the waterbender's grip on Suki's hand tightened further. "Nonsense! Stay longer and we can chat! Lee is somewhere around here… I bet he made a pit stop to home for awhile. Perhaps he'll find us. Eventually."
Katara's eyes widened even further. Followed by a harder clench onto Suki's hand, causing the Kyoshi Warrior to wince slightly at the crushing pain. She could've swore she'd heard a crack somewhere.
Zuko's here?
"Lee's here?" Katara asked, turning to an alarmed and pained looking Suki.
Amai nodded as Reza and Bacca returned with four wooden chairs, one under each arm. Amai immediately snatched them up for her and her sister before sitting down next to Katara, followed by Onni, Reza and finally Bacca.
"Miss Tomi?" Zhen-Ming suddenly appeared with his ordering booklet. "Do your friends wish to make orders as well?"
Katara breathed deeply to calm herself down, suddenly feeling absolutely crowded with all the people surrounding her, making her feel claustrophobic. Suki spotted this and quickly jumped in.
"Ah…yes, do you guys want anything?" Suki quickly asked the rebels, trying to put on a believable fake smile.
"Just a round of chrysanthemum tea and your day's special will do, handsome," Onni requested, winking at Zhen-Ming, who simply smiled politely while jotting down the order. He then bowed towards them before scurrying off towards the kitchen.
"Well, he's cute," Onni remarked, staring after Zhen-Ming while licking her red-stained lips. "Perhaps you can go flirt with him, Suri. I would tap that."
Suki chuckled nervously and shrugged. "It's okay. I have a boyfriend."
"Lee is taking forever!" Amai whined suddenly, crossing her arms over her chest and sticking her bottom lip out like a child-All the while ignoring the cold stare Katara was shooting at her. She then turned towards Bacca, who was scouting out the restaurant excitedly, his legs swinging back on forth. "Bacca, go find Lee. He should be in the housing area if he's going home. Get him here."
Bacca nodded obediently and slid off his seat, taking off like the quick little tyke he was. Both Katara and Suki watched as the boy made his way out of the restaurant without bumping into anybody.
"So…what have you two girls been up to?" Amai asked Katara and Suki, raising an eyebrow at them accompanied with a sickly sweet smile that was permanently plastered on her face as if forced.
"Where are those people?" Zuko growled to himself, practically jogging his way through the Royal Caldera in search of his so-called comrades. The sun was extra harsh today-making his entire form drenched with perspiration. He nearly escaped some crazy sale at a jewellery store by the skin of his teeth, with women and young girls screaming and demanding lower prices for a mere bracelet. "Damn."
Citizens of the Royal Caldera whizzed by him in every direction, threatening to throw him off his feet-or silently wishing to actually throw him off. The throne, that is. But it was natural for it to be so crowded-it waslunchtime. Usually the busiest hours in the City. Even for primped and pampered nobles.
Frustration slowly clawed at him as Zuko's head snapped left and right every two seconds to search for his roommates. He silently cursed himself for not finding out where Amai and Onni's house was in case they had went there. But he had a feeling that either one of the sisters might prod him about his so-called noble family if he had asked.
That was what worried him the most. He would be putting both Toph and Katara in danger-since Onni and Amai were nobles, they pretty much have free access to the Royal Caldera and most likely had vast connections with the other noble families. Including the members of his present Council whose loyalty he still slightly doubted. Perhaps with the name Lee it would be a bit difficult since there were about a thousand Lees everywhere. But a Lee related to a young girl called Jing with a girlfriend called Tomi weren't exactly duplicated in other places.
Double damn.
"Lee!" Zuko suddenly heard an all-too familiar, slightly high pitched, boyish voice call out to him, and the youth instantly skidded to a halt. A small wave of relief swept over him when he saw his first kid roommate running up to him with all smiles.
"Bacca, where are the others?" Zuko quickly snapped once the boy reached him. Bacca leaned himself onto his bent knees to catch his breath. By the looks of his shiny face and drenched hair, Zuko assumed that the kid had also been running all over the place as he did in search for him.
Probably sent by his two ladies…
"They're in The Golden Dragon restaurant with Lady Tomi her friend, Miss Suri," Bacca panted as he straightened up, his chest rising and falling rapidly with his respiratory exertions. He then grinned up at Zuko and wiped his brow with the back of his hand, sending sweat droplets raining onto the ground. "Amai sent me to look for you. Where did you go?"
Zuko's eyes widened and he nearly lurched. He felt his blood drain from his face and pool at his feet, making him feel a little light-headed.
Katara and Amai were in the same room? Together? Speaking?
"Tomi and Suri? With Amai and the others?" Zuko questioned-ignoring Bacca's own, hoping that his ears had deceived him. But he felt a lodge in his throat when Bacca nodded. The older firebender could almost scoff at Suki's not-so-inconspicuous name.
"Lee, are you okay? You look really pale," Bacca pointed out, literally pointing at Zuko's face, reaching out to the point where Zuko had to swat his hand away before touching his sweat-covered face.
"Just take me to them. Now," Zuko snapped, gesturing with his hand for Bacca to lead. Despite his eagerness to get Katara and Suki far, far…very far away from Amai, he didn't want to appear too eager to the boy.
"Lady Tomi, are you alright?" Zhen-Ming asked Katara worriedly, after bringing everyone a second round of chrysanthemum tea by Onni's order. "You seem…drained. But I don't mean to pry… Do you require anything? Perhaps a tonic?"
Katara smiled weakly up at their server while fanning herself with her hand and shook him off. "I'm fine, Zhen-Ming. It's just a little hot in here. Very crowded."
But in truth she was turning pale because she was having a hard time wracking her brain to come up with undercover stories and lies that seem legit to Amai for the past half-hour. Ignoring the girl was beyond difficult no thanks to her tenacious nature and ongoing insistence. Katara had to keep track of the lies while Suki…or Suri simply watched in sympathy. They couldn't even leave because of that pushy rebel girl!
Zhen-Ming nodded and bowed to the small crowd that he was serving before leaving the table to tend to his other customers in the restaurant.
"Whoa Tomi, you are quite the little siren aren't you," Amai drawled, wagging her eyebrows at the waterbender suggestively. "That cutie might give Lee a run for his gold. He's got to watch himself around you…"
"What are you implying?" Katara snapped fiercely at her, feeling her patience running low. She nearly lunged forward at Amai for the 'almost-accusation', but quickly stopped herself and regained her composure-softening her icy tone. "I am not that kind of girl, Amai."
Despite Katara's small outburst that shocked pretty much everyone including Suki, Amai remained unflinching and indifferent. Instead her stare seemed to glint a little…out of what looked like interest.
"I'm not calling you a slut, Tomi," Amai simply replied, pouring herself another cup of the fragrant flower tea. "I was just stating the fact that Lee should be careful about leaving his pretty little girl-toy out in the open so much… So many predators…am I right? But you're a noblewoman. You keep your pride and dignity like we do."
Katara narrowed her eyes slightly as the rebel girl sipped from her cup almost too innocently, knowing that her statement was just an indirect insult towards her as being unfaithful.
Girl-toy! Why I ought to...
"Alright!" Reza cut in, quickly dissolving the tension. He then looked up at Suki with a smile. "So Suri… You seem like a really strong fighter. Given your build, pardon my naughty eyes. How come you're not fighting with us? I'm pretty sure if you know Lee you must also support his and our cause."
Suki cocked her head to the right, and caught Katara's worrying gaze. She then cleared her throat before answering the male youth.
"Well… I am not a bender," she explained-the only truth that she'd said so far. "So I shall support Lee in the best ways that I can as one." Technically it wasn't really a lie, Zuko kind of was Lee and she did support his cause. His cause in becoming a good Fire Lord.
"What are those ways?" Onni asked, raising an eyebrow.
Suki raced through her thoughts for a suitable answer. "Well, spreading the word, of course," she then turned towards the two sisters with a smirk. "We're all noblewomen here… Don't we all love a good gossip now and again? Besides your glorious demonstrations, vocal transferring can be equally convincing. Especially when one's wrongs are being…displayed in a suitable, verbal manner."
Onni nodded approvingly, and both Suki and Katara nearly breathed a sigh of relief.
"You know, Tomi," Amai began again, looking at a stiffening Katara. "Lee has never mentioned his family to us before. His roommates! Can you imagine? Well I'm curious. You're all from the Royal Caldera. Surely I must've heard of you from someone. But I haven't. What family do you and Lee come from? Maybe...what clan?"
Oh crap. This was the question Katara had feared.
"That's all personal and private manner, Amai," Katara replied formally, trying to escape the question to the best of her ability. "I would appreciate it if you don't pry into my family's business. We like to keep things to ourselves. I don't know you very well and I didn't even ask for your history. I hope you would be able to respect our privacy. As for Lee's background…you should ask him."
"Ask me what?" a familiar voice suddenly growled from slightly above them.
As if in sync, five heads snapped up towards the source of the voice, and saw Zuko/Lee scowling down at them with young Bacca by his side. Both boys flushed in the face and a film of sweat covering their skin accompanied by tired, haggard breathing. From the looks of the glare that marred Zuko's features, it seemed that he had heard quite a bit of the conversation.
"Lee!" Amai immediately squealed joyfully, ejecting herself out of her seat and flinging her arms tightly around Zuko's neck.
I am aware of the lateness and cliff-hanger that came with this Chapter. *ducks flying projectiles*
But I'm afraid YLW might be a bit shorter than what I intended because I can't think of much to put in that aren't fillers. If you get my drift.
But do enjoy this little piece! It's not much or very mind-blowing I know but the good parts are coming very soon!
Till then, R&R!