The shop was busy as usual and I was out the back brewing and washing when some rich looking gentleman had come in and offered a new place to work to Iroh, wanting him to run a new teashop in the upper ring. I'd stepped out when I heard our manager getting distressed, thinking that there was a problem only to see a bunch of expensively dressed guys focusing on Iroh, the one seemingly in charge decorated with an excess of tastelessly jewelled rings. "I'll provide you with a new apartment in the upper ring. The teashop is yours to do whatever you want. Complete creative freedom." The guy was saying as I dried my hands slowly, listening in.
"I even get to name the shop?"
"Of course!" Iroh looked like nothing in this world could make him happier, handing the teapot in his hand over to our manager who desperately tried to offer him a new promotion but was declined. I mean of course, who in their right mind would choose to stay here over a new place in the upper ring? Were we finally going? Awesome!
"Did you hear nephew? Little Kayo? This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city." I grinned at Iroh and gave him a thumb's up when he turned around to me excitedly though Zuko remained as passive and uninterested as ever. He stepped outside to take a break, however by that moment, the rich guy had noticed me and started to approach.
"Ah, so this must be the lovely young lady I've heard so much about. I was hoping to run into you here, my resources tell me that you worked in the same shop as this genius tea brewer. Kayo, was it?" Surprised that I would be singled out, I bowed in greeting in order to be polite.
"Yes sir, my name is Kayo. My uncle taught me everything he knows about tea, but I don't think that's the reason you've heard of me." My quick wit caught on and just as I suspected, the guy grinned and continued.
"No, no, I'm more interested in the rumours of you being an elegant and beautiful dancer who can bend water. I am most interested in such a talent, and would also like to offer you a place in my very own dance hall, the best in Ba Sing Se. Provided you are as excellent as the rumours say you are, you will be provided with your own home, a substantial wage, all the costumes, clothes and jewels you could ever want, and the prime spot on my stage." My ears were already ringing, my hopes flying upwards as my eyes brightened excitedly.
"Really? You mean it? Wait…" I paused a moment, forcing myself to be rational. "There's no ties to this is there? No hidden conditions or requirements? All I need to do is dance for your guests and that's it? Because if I find out you're not good on your word, then I will have no qualms burying your dance hall under a lake worth's of water." I warned him, wanting to make it very clear that I was not someone to be messed with. "I've had plenty of folk approach me before to dance in their halls, but their establishments were less than decent, if you understand my meanings." After all, there was no way I was going to dance at a Flower House and become one of those ladies who offered themselves to men.
"Absolutely not!" Thankfully, the gentleman seemed generally horrified at the suggestion and quickly rushed to assure me. "All of my dancers are of the highest calibre and are respectable, untouchable men and women. I have guards throughout my hall for the purpose of your protection, and I can assure you there will never be a case of mistreatment. After all, with your water bending dancing, I have a feeling you will become my next star and I take care of those who will bring me great profit, you don't have to worry." Satisfied that he was telling the truth, I nodded my head.
"Very well, I accept your offer, but I do not want my own place. I'd prefer to continue living with my family. We've been together through a great deal, and being separated now won't work for us."
"As you wish, I shall make all the arrangements. Now, if you would not mind, I should very much like to see your talents for myself." Arching an eyebrow, I looked to Iroh who eagerly nodded his head, signalling that it was alright so I rose up onto my toes and began to dance, gracefully moving my arms and feet with a continuous flow as I demonstrated my flexibility, balance, core strength and gracefulness before I pulled water from several cups of tea, making our customers awe in wonder as I collected the fragrant water into orbs and spiralled them around me, creating a spell binding image before I returned each tea to the correct cup and earned a round of applause as I twirled into a finish then bowed. "Excellent! Absolutely perfect, I am very glad to have found you, Miss Kayo."
The gentleman stayed a little longer in order to finalise some of the details before leaving, and once he did, I leaped up into the air and released the squeal of joy I'd been holding back before I leaped on Iroh and hugged him tightly. "We're going to the upper ring! Finally, things are starting to turn around for us uncle. Can you believe it?"
"Good things always come to those who wait. My own teashop…it truly is a dream come true!" Our customers expressed their regrets that we would be leaving, but Iroh and I promised that we still had time before we leave and that we would train the new tea makers in the art of tea brewing so that they would not be left disappointed. Our manager quickly secured us on our promise to do just that before he rushed out to find someone to replace us, clearly distraught that he was losing Iroh, who's tea had brought him such excellent business.
Zuko never once expressed excitement or happiness about leaving the lower rings, which I thought he'd be glad about but I didn't question him on why he was being such a stick in the mud. Instead, I celebrated with Iroh and dragged Zuko out for a meal in the evening so that no one had to cook and ate to our hearts' content, seeing as soon our wages would soon become ten times what they were now, perhaps even more. I was eager to be dancing in the hall as soon as possible, because once I did then I could tell mom all about it when I found her again.
After food Iroh had gone home in order to start packing and Zuko had already disappeared. What was with him? He'd been silent this entire time and no amount of pestering could get him to crack. Shaking my head with a sigh, I set out to go buy a few things for moving. We'd need bags and boxes, so I made sure to get plenty before bringing them home, carrying them over my head precariously and struggling against the weight before I managed to fit through the door. "I made it! Phew, they were heavy. Hey you two, what's going on?" Suddenly reading the tense atmosphere, Zuko merely slapped a piece of paper onto the table and walked off, saying a single line which caused me to freeze in place.
"The Avatar is in Ba Sing Se." Oh crap. Quickly looking at Iroh, he shook his head to me, warning me not to interfere this time so I let Zuko be and went to the table in order to look at the paper he'd left. It was the missing poster of the Avatar's flying bison, Appa. It was the same one the Avatar had shown me just last night when we'd happened to cross paths. I guess my hope that Zuko wouldn't hear about the bison and the Avatar were completely dashed now.
"This isn't good, is it?"
"No, I was hoping that my nephew would forget his quest and live here peacefully, but I do not think that will happen now." An immense measure of disappointment started to well up inside me, as I had wanted the same thing. Somehow, I had just gotten it into my head that Iroh, Zuko and I would just live here happily and quietly until either the war ended or it became safe enough for us to leave. Now that he knew the Avatar was here, I could kiss that peaceful life goodbye. With Zuko's obsession I knew there was no way he'd leave it be, so I resigned myself to just accepting the inevitable whilst trying to remain as positive as possible, for Iroh's sake.
"Well, Ba Sing Se is a big place. It's like a country in itself, so it'll be difficult to find the Avatar or his bison. We should focus on moving for now. Once we're in the upper ring, we can all sit down and think about what it is we want to do and move forward from there. Don't worry Iroh." Reaching over to take Iroh's hand, I gave it a warm squeeze. "You'll always have me." Smiling back in appreciation, Iroh rubbed my hand before changing the topic, asking me what I thought of several names he'd thought for the new teashop so whilst we packed, I helped him decide, glancing over at Zuko's room occasionally and worrying to myself. I just hope the Avatar finds his bison soon and leaves, maybe then Zuko will forget about trying to catch him.
Maybe.
