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Chapter 17: The Jasmine Dragon

The next morning...

The group of them sat around the table, having just finished their breakfast.

"What's our plan for today?" Katara asked, setting down her cup.

Aang shrugged. "I could take a day just to look around the city. We've been traveling for months. We deserve an opportunity just to relax."

"I'm going to go look around the city." Zuko told them. "Maybe I can find out someway for us to get an audience with the Earth King sooner then two months. There might be some sort of party that someone will know about."

Sokka nodded. "I'll go with you. It'll be fun."

"What are you two going to do?" Aang asked Katara and Toph.

Katara smiled. "Toph and I are going to take a girl's day. There's a great spa that I heard about."

"Then I think we have our plans." Zuko said, nodding. "We'll meet back here tonight."

Grabbing their swords and bags, Sokka and Zuko left the house, heading towards the shops of the upper ring.

"If anyone would know about a party, it would be the people of the Upper Ring." Zuko told the other boy.

Sokka nodded, looking around. "You should probably talk to them. I already feel out of place just walking through the upper ring."

"That's probably a good idea." Zuko agreed. "If there was one thing a prince of the Fire Nation needed to know, it was how to talk to stuffy nobles."

The two of them entered one of the nearby shops, its sign proclaiming it to be "Ming's Quality Fabric". The store clerk, a young woman with long, black hair and dressed in green, silk robes, looked up when they entered.

"Can I help you?" She asked sweetly.

Zuko nodded. "I think so. Do you know if there is going to be an event at the palace? My servant and I just got in yesterday, and I want to know about everything happening in the city."

"There's going to be a party in two days, to celebrate the King's pet bear Bosco's birthday." She informed them. "But you need an invitation to get into the party."

Zuko waved her off. "That will not be an issue. Thank you very much."

As they exited the store, Sokka turned to Zuko, rolling his eyes. "Your servant? Really?"

"It was all I could think of." Zuko defended. "And no offense Sokka, but you don't exactly look like a noble."

Sokka sighed. "Fine. At least we got the information. Do you think we can get into that party?"

"I would be surprised if Aang didn't get an invitation." Zuko pointed out. "The only issue is getting the rest of us in. Toph and I could definitely pass for nobles, and Katara might be able to as well. We'll just need to figure out how to get you in."

Sokka huffed. "I can act like a noble."

"No offense Sokka, but acting like a noble isn't something you can pick up in a day." Zuko told him. "We'll figure out someway to get you into that party. Now come on, let's get back to the house."

"Rano," Iroh said, catching the attention of the other man, who was in the middle of brewing a pot of tea. "We're out of jasmine and sage. Do you think you can run to the market?"

Derai nodded, concern on his face. "Are you okay while I'm gone?"

"I'll be fine." Iroh assured him. "I can hold down this place."

Slipping his apron off, Derai draped it over one of the chairs, before grabbing the bag of money, and pushing through the crowd that had gathered to get into the Jasmine Dragon. He hurried through the streets of the Upper Ring, towards the market.

Ever since the two of them had opened their shop in the Upper Ring, about a month before, their luck had been turning up. They had soon become the best tea makers in the city, and the king's personal tea makers. For the first time since he had left to join the Wani, three years ago, Derai was truly happy.

As he paid one of the clerks at his and Iroh's favorite herb stall, his ears perked up, overhearing a conversation between two of the noble women.

"Did you hear that the Avatar is in Ba Sing Se?"

"Really? I had not heard."

"Yes. He is apparently staying in one of the other mansions in the Upper Ring with his companions."

"Oh my. Do you think we will meet him? I wonder what he is like."

"He will most certainly be at the King's celebration in two days. We can meet him then."

Eyes widening, Derai hurried back towards the Jasmine Dragon. If the Avatar was in Ba Sing Se, that meant Zuko was too, and Iroh deserved to know his nephew was in the city.

Derai hurried into the Jasmine Dragon, spotting Iroh near the back. "Uncle Mushi!" He called, coming to a stop next to the old man. "Can I talk to you?"

"Why of course Rano." Iroh agreed, before the two heading into the kitchen. "What's going on Derai?" He asked, the second the doors were closed.

"When I was in the market, I heard some interesting news." Derai explained. "The Avatar and his friends are in Ba Sing Se. And, they're living in a house in the Upper Ring."

Iroh's eyes widened. "That means my nephew's in Ba Sing Se. Thank you for telling me Derai."

Both men had hardly stepped out of the kitchen, when they heard another voice. "Uncle Mushi."

Looking up, Iroh met the eyes of one of the Dai Li agents. "What can I do for you today, sir?" He asked.

"As I'm sure you've heard, the Avatar is in Ba Sing Se." The Dai Li agent explained. "The Earth King wants the best tea maker in the city to serve tea to the Avatar and his friends, tomorrow."

Iroh bowed to him. "I would be honored."

As soon as the Dai Li agents left the tea shop, Iroh turned to Derai, a smile on his face. "Well nephew, I think our luck just got even better."

"So, what did everyone find out?" Aang asked, hours later, when the entire group had reconvened at the house.

Toph shrugged. "We found nothing. Except for the fact that noble girls in this city are bitches."

"Some girls were making fun of Toph's makeup, so Toph sent them through the bridge, and I waterbended them down the river." Katara elaborated.

Sokka smiled at her. "While we didn't do anything as fun as that, Zuko and I found a way to get in to see the King."

"The King is hosting a birthday party for his pet bear in two days." Zuko explained. "As Avatar, Aang will certainly be invited, and the rest of us can sneak in."

Katara looked up, confused. "You mean platypus bear?"

"No, just bear." Zuko said shrugging.

Aang frowned. "Certainly you mean his pet skunk bear"

"Or his armadillo bear." Toph suggested.

"Gopher bear?" Katara tried.

Sokka shook his head. "Just... bear"

"This place is weird." Toph said, shuddering.

"Weirdness of Ba Sing Se aside," Zuko said, sitting down. "This gives us the perfect opportunity to see the King."

Katara nodded. "The rest of us can sneak in with the crowd, while Aang goes as the Avatar."

"There's one issue you're all forgetting." Toph told them. "You would all be spotted immediately. You don't have any manners or experience with high society. Zuko and I could get in fine, and Katara could pull it off, but not Sokka."

Sokka pouted. "Yeah, yeah I get it. No need to rub it in or anything."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, and Aang walked over to the door, to reveal a Dai Li agent standing there.

"Can I help you?" Aang asked, confused.

The Dai Li agent handed him a note. "This is a message from the King." He told Aang, before walking away.

"What is it, Aang?" Katara asked, as the younger boy walked back.

Aang held up the note. "Its a message from the King."

Unfolding the piece of paper, Aang read it out loud.

Dear Avatar and his friends,
As a thank you for coming to our great city, I would like to offer my best tea maker to serve you tea tomorrow. He is my personal tea server and makes the best tea in the world. He and his nephew will be coming to your house at midday. I hope you enjoy this wonderful present.
Sincerely,
King Kuei

"Well," Sokka said, shrugging. "It could be worse."

The next day...

"Ugh, I don't want to be served tea." Toph groaned, from her spot lying on the floor of the house. "It tastes disgusting."

Zuko looked up from the table. "I agree with you Toph."

"It reminds you of your uncle, doesn't it." Katara commented, sympathetically.

Zuko nodded. "I haven't had real tea since I left Uncle at the Fire Temple."

"It says here, we're being served by the best tea maker in the city." Aang said, reading off the note that the Dai Li agent had given them. "He owns a shop called the Jasmine Dragon."

Zuko's eyes widened. The Jasmine Dragon. But it couldn't be him, could it? Certainly uncle wouldn't remember that one detail from his explanation of events months ago on the Wani.

Sokka scoffed. "As if any tea could be better then Zuko's breakfast tea."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. "That must be him." Zuko said, getting up. "I'll go get the door."

Zuko walked over to the door, pulling it open and going to greet their visitor. But all words died on the tip of his tongue, when he saw who was standing there. "Uncle?" Zuko gasped in shock.

"Um, can you please let us in?" Derai asked, from his spot next to Iroh. "I really don't want to be standing on this doorstep much longer."

Zuko opened the door wider, letting them in, and still staring in shock at the two of them, as Derai set down what he was holding on the table. "How are you here?"

"Zuko, what's your uncle doing here?" Katara asked, coming up behind him. "And who is he?"

"After you left us at the Fire Temple, we sailed on until we reached the Earth Kingdom. Most of the crew left once we got there, with new names thanks to Iroh's White Lotus contacts. We went separate ways at first, but after Iroh left the North Pole, we met up again and the two of us decided to continue traveling together, eventually settling in Ba Sing Se." Derai explained, answering Zuko's previous question.

Iroh pulled Zuko into a tight hug, who relaxed into the comfort. "I'm so glad you're okay nephew." He whispered.

"I missed you uncle." Zuko whispered, hugging him back.

Derai and Iroh took their seats around the table with the rest of them, Iroh pouring some tea for everyone. "So what are you doing in Ba Sing Se?" He finally asked.

"We're trying to get an audience with the Earth King." Sokka informed him. "We have information to defeat the Fire Nation but the Dai Li aren't making thing easy."

Derai frowned. "We've been in Ba Sing Se for a while now, and you learn some things about this place. You need to stay clear of the Dai Li, they're dangerous."

"We're aware." Zuko told him. "But we need to talk to the Earth King. Luckily, we have an idea. We're going to sneak into his party tomorrow. But, there's something I wanted to ask you about uncle. I talked to your Pai Sho friend, to get the passports for the ferry into Ba Sing Se, and he gave me a proverb, but I have no idea what it means."

Iroh smiled. "I've always loved proverbs. What does it say?"

"An old friend of mine wanted me to tell you that if you're looking for him, he's where secrets are hidden among the walls and the jasmine blooms. But, beware the colors of the ocean and the angels of the devil, for they're as sharp as pointy knives and just as deadly. For just like the ocean where they get their color, they can drown you, unless you know how to swim the waters and soar amongst the clouds." Zuko recited.

Iroh frowned. "Well, the first part must be referring to me and the Jasmine Dragon. As far as the second part, I'm not sure. Have you run into your sister at all?"

"Yes," Zuko said, nodding. "She, Mai, and Ty Lee fought us in an abandoned town."

Iroh sighed. "I think the old man was trying to warn you about your sister and her friends. But as for the third part, I have no idea."

"Why did he tell me that then?" Zuko said, rolling his eyes. "I already know they're dangerous. Why did I need a warning?"

Iroh smiled gently. "Some people enjoy giving advice, even when the person they're giving it to, doesn't think they need it."

"I hate to break this up," Derai said. "But we have to get going so we're back for the lunch shift at the Jasmine Dragon."

Zuko pulled his uncle into one more hug as the two of them stood up. "I promise I'll come see you."

"I love you nephew," Iroh said, hugging him back. "I'm so proud of you."

As the door shut behind Iroh and Derai, Toph turned to the rest of them. "Okay, time to get all of you trained on high society manners."

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