CHAPTER THREE: The Peacemaker
"Are you sure you want to do this Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked for the millionth time since they'd left the apartment. Zuko growled out a "yes" and pulled the black cloak tighter over his head as they made their way into the seedy bar.
Zuko had been thinking all day long. Where would a girl like Zasha be hiding? It would have to be someplace filthy, someplace dangerous, and someplace as infamous as she was. He'd asked around the customers in the teashop and all of them had said the same thing: The Black Dragon Fighting Society. Apparently it was the most crime infested, forsaken place in all of Ba Sing Se. She had to be here somewhere.
"I do not think that they serve tea here." Iroh rambled as they skulked up to the bar and took their seats. Zuko kept his head down and wished that his uncle would shut up before he got them into trouble.
"Can I get you anything?" asked a grizzly bartender with one arm.
"I'm looking for somebody. A bounty hunter. Her name is Zasha. Do you know her?" Zuko said, not raising his voice beyond a low growl. The bartender gasped and several other people stared at him with wide, concerned eyes.
"Sh! You don't call her that here! At this place, she's known only as the Peacemaker." The bartender said in a hushed tone, leaning closer to Zuko. "Why would you be looking for somebody like her? Most people are running from her."
"I have my reasons. So she works her?." He said, wanting to make sure they were on the same page. "Do you know where I might find her?"
"Yeah. That's her over there." He said gesturing to his far right. While Zuko was looking over, he left to go help other customers.
He saw a girl in tight, short black dress and long hair pulled back in a ponytail. He recognized her scar and her confident body language at once. She was surveying the bar, scaring and infatuating every man she so much as glanced at. He wondered why they were making such a big fuss over her. She didn't seem too dangerous.
"Hey, do those legs of yours come deep-fried?" asked a very drunken patron. Zuko held his breath as Zasha turned to face him.
"Excuse me, I don't think I heard you correctly?" she asked politely. The drunkard cleared his throat loudly. The bar fell incredibly still as they waited to see what she would do next.
"I said, 'do those legs come deep fried'?" he repeated, sounding slightly agitated. Zasha pursed her lips.
"That's what I thought you said." she said with a nod.
Then, within seconds, she kicked his chair out from under him. He fell flat on his back and she stepped on his throat, glaring down at him with a loathsome intensity.
"You need to learn some manors." She snarled. She stepped off his throat and picked him up by the shirt collar. In a humiliating and entertaining act of feminism, she literally threw him out of the door.
"Stay out of my bar!" she shouted to the man before slamming the door shut. She returned to her watchful post with some applause from everybody expect Iroh and Zuko who wee too busy watching. As she walked by she noticed that the disrespectful man had left his wallet. Zuko spotted her quickly pocket it and sit back down.
"This is her bar?" Zuko asked the bartender when he returned. He shrugged.
"Might as well be. She runs this place, keeps people in line. That's why we call her the Peacemaker." The bartender smiled. Zuko scoffed, but kept on watching her like a hawk.
"Peacemaker, your shift is over. You may head back to your dressing room." Whispered the bar's owner, Mi. Zasha sighed and got up. There'd hardly been any action tonight.
"Thank you. Have somebody bring meat for Nala and some coffee and cigarettes to my room." She said flatly. She glanced over at Zuko. She had been watching him out of the corner of her eye all night long, expecting him to do something stupid or rash. But he had stayed put the entire time, much to her disappointment.
"Yes ma'am. Is there anything else I can get for you?" he stammered as he followed her back to her room. She shook her head and put her hand on the doorknob. Her door had a metal star with the words "Madame Peacemaker" carved into it. She smiled every time she saw it. This was the only place she got any respect.
"Two men have requested to speak with you privately ma'am. Shall I send them in?" he asked. She knew exactly whom he was talking about.
"No. I'm feeling rather tired tonight and I do not want any customers." She lied. She wasn't tired at all. She simply wanted to test Zuko to see how far he was willing to go to get in touch with her again.
"Yes ma'am. Goodnight ma'am." Mi nodded fervently. Zasha closed the door sharply and stretched out on her lounge chair. Nala, who had been snoozing peacefully under her vanity, got up and placed herself at her master's feet.
"Oh Nala, mommy really does love this place." She sighed happily. She made good money, was able to do what she was best at and she was treated like royalty. She rolled onto her side and looked into the mirror on the vanity.
Gingerly, Zasha reached up and touched the scar that defined some of her worst memories. There was a loud knock on her door and Nala started to bark, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Good girl Nala, telling mommy when she had visitors." She praised, petting and kissing Nala on the head. Zasha got up and walked to the door, opening the slot where she could see out. She recognized a scarred pair of amber eyes immediately.
"Who let you back here? I told them no customers." She said sharply.
"We need to talk. Now." Zuko growled. Zasha sighed and slammed the slot closed before unlocking and opening her door. She saw that Zuko had Mi by the collar of his apron. He looked terrified, but was holding a teapot full of coffee, a plate with a raw steak and a box of cigarettes.
"I'm so sorry ma'am, I had no choice but to let them in." he pleaded with her, his voice wobbling in a terrified manor, as if she meant to strike him. She brushed it off and took the three parcels he was holding.
"That will be all." She said, ushering him out. She locked the door behind her and walked over to the small table next to her dresser. "Please, have a seat." She said to Iroh and Zuko as she poured herself a cup of black coffee and pulled a cigarette out of the box.
"Can I interest you two in some coffee, or perhaps a cigarette?" she asked, glancing over at the two who were sitting nervously at her tea table.
"No cigarettes, we do not smoke. Do you have any tea-?" Iroh began. Zasha placed a small porcelain cup of coffee in front of him before he could finish.
"Zuko?" she asked, eyeing him slyly. He shook his head. Iroh took a sip of the black concoction and nearly gagged. Zasha put her own cup down and lit her cigarette before putting it into a long holder and sitting down. She took a long drag before speaking.
"So, what can I do you, darlings?" she purred, blowing smoke in the faces of her two guests. Zuko glowered, not wanting to be called "darling". They both began to hack and cough, waving the smoke away. It was obvious they were not used to it.
"We're looking for a bounty hunter." Zuko said in a hushed growl. Zasha smiled.
"You've come to the right girl. Whom exactly will I be tracking?" she asked, taking another drag and blowing three smoke rings. Nala came over and rested her big dumb head on Zasha's knee. Zasha stroked her black fur absently while waiting for Zuko to reply.
"The Avatar." He stated. Zasha bit the inside of her right cheek.
"Do you have any scent samples for Nala? I'm sure she could track him down." She asked, throwing a loving and confident smile in her pooch's direction. Zuko shook his head.
"We've already tried tracking him. He's a master at evasive maneuvers." Zuko explained.
"Let me guess, you went to June?" Zasha said with an eye roll. She smirked at the thought of Nyla fighting with that giant bison thing.
"You know her?" he asked, seeming shocked.
"Of course. We went to school together, she's my best friend. I haven't seen her in quite some time, though." Zasha said. Zuko blinked and Zasha got back to business.
"I've heard rumors of him being on Ba Sing Se. I need help finding him." Zuko said darkly.
"You've heard correctly. And finding the brat won't be a problem. I know where he's residing at the moment." She informed them. Zuko seemed slightly impressed by this.
"The hard part is going to be fighting and capturing the little misfit and his motley crew." She pointed out. "But I haven't had a challenge fighting anybody in a long, long time. I'm looking forward to see what he has in store for Nala and me."
"You think you can fight and capture the Avatar?" Zuko asked disbelievingly. Zasha scoffed and took a big sip of her coffee.
"I know I can." She said cockily. "The real question is, what will you be useful for? This twelve year old must be smarter and stronger than you to have him out smart you so many times." Zuko's temper flared and he fought to keep a level head.
"He isn't half the man I am!" Zuko flared. Zasha rolled her eyes and took another drag off her cigarette.
"Oh, quit your yelling." She ordered. She looked Iroh and Zuko over, assuming by their less than humble clothing that they didn't have much money.
"There is one more question I need you to answer." She said, twirling the now empty coffee cup in her hand.
"And what exactly is that?" Zuko asked.
"What's in it for me?"