LORD Big-Doggie, I got this one up for you after reading your review. Hope you like it.
Chap.22
Interlude 4: Manhattan Isle
"Are you guys sure you'll be ok without your interpreter?" the boy asked, as the young girl and her friends exited the mini-van and walked onto the city block.
"Oh don't worry about us." Azula replied, her voice dripping with sincerity. "Our interpreter will be back soon. Besides, you need to get home too, and I don't want us to be any more of a bother."
"Believe me, it's no bother." The boy said from his window, as his eyes became dream-filled. But Azula shook her head and said, "Believe me, you've been enough help. In fact, I think I should give you a little reward." With that, Azula leaned over and gently kissed the boy on the cheek. His eyes went wide, and he collapsed back into his chair a happily moaning mess of goo. His mother took one look at her son, then looked at Azula and said, "Well, if you'll be all right, we'll be going now. Have a good time in the city." Azula nodded and watched as the car sped off into the night.
"Wow Azula, you haven't lost your touch." Ty Lee said, as the Fire Princess moved back with the others.
"Of course not. How do you think I got all my homework done in the Fire Academy?" Azula replied with a smirk. "Now then, we have a more pressing matter to attend to. Captain, what is the status of our funds?"
"I believe we have enough for all of us, Your Highness." The Captain answered, as he held up his money sack. On the way to this spot, the group had combined their finds to see what kind of inn they could afford. Thankfully, they could do rather well for themselves, though it was mainly because of Azula.
"For your sake, I hope so." Azula said. "I do not intend to sleep on the streets tonight. Now come on, it's freezing out here." With that, Azula spun on her heel and walked in the direction of the large glowing sign that said Holiday Inn. The rest of the Fire Group followed suit.
Azula pushed through the doorways of the hotel and went straight to the front desk. Seeing the clerk at the desk, she said, "I want three of your best rooms for the night."
"Hmm? Oh sure." The man said, as he moved to check the computer. After a few minutes, he said, "Sorry, no can do. We're booked solid."
"What?!" Azula snapped, as the rest of her group walked in. "There's nothing you can do about it?"
"Sorry, every room is filled. Oh wait, there might be something here." The clerk said, as he looked it over more closely. "It seems that a few people left early today, so I can give you a couple of rooms. How do you plan to pay?"
Azula motioned over to the Captain, who handed her the bag of coins. Azula handed it over to the clerk, who took the bag with a queer expression in his face. Opening it, he looked at the coins and said, "Look kid, I was willing to play along with the weird costumes, but if you don't hand over some real money, you can forget the rooms."
"What are you talking about?" Azula asked angrily. "There's more then enough in there to pay for the rooms."
"Well maybe in China, but this American girly." The man snapped. "So get some American money, or get out. Now leave me alone, I've got work to do." With that, the man started to back away, but then he felt a hand wrap around his neck and push his head to the desk.
"What in the…" he started to say, but then stopped when he saw the flaming hand that was pressed in front of him. "Holy shit!" he breathed, as Azula's voice suddenly rang in his ear.
"Now, will you let us stay, or would you like to see what it will be like to be blind in one eye?" Azula asked, as she began to extend one finger.
"No, no, I'll give you the keys, just let me alone!" the clerk swore, as he tried to back away.
"Good answer." Azula said, as she released her grip on the man's neck. Pulling her hand away, the Fire Princess watched as the clerk instantly reached over and grabbed three different keys.
"H-here, you go mam'." He said as he handed her the keys.
"Thank you." Azula said. "On the house, right?"
"Oh of course." The man replied, as he handed her the bag of money.
"Good. And don't even try to tell anyone." Azula said as she walked away. "Fires have a habit of burning though things so quickly." The resounding gulp from the clerk told Azula she had nothing to fear from him.
"See? My way does work." Azula said, as she walked up to Mai.
"Fine, you got us keys. Now can we get upstairs and warm up?" Mai asked. Azula handed out the keys and the group made their way up the stairs. But Azula lingered a moment, as she watched the clerk tremble under her gaze. Part of her was glad that she could still induce fear even in another world. But a bigger part of her had finally come to a conclusion about something. It was something that had been nagging at her since Coney Island, and now, looking at this man cower before her, she knew it was true. His fear was not like the kind she'd experienced at home; this was the fear of a man who has seen something that he has no way to explain. It was almost like the people at the performance; they had been so amazed by a well-known dance, but only after Azula had begun using her power. As she walked up the stairs to her room, Azula smiled as one thought raced through her mind; They don't have bending in this world.