Chapter 3: Moving in on Escapade

After crossing the dessert in just a day, Kyra wasn't able to ride the ferry because there were no pets allowed so they crossed the Serpent's Pass instead, although the serpent did not appear to terrorize them which was odd.

Before they knew it they arrived in the Outerwalls of Ba Sing Se and then the Inner Walls, where agriculture was rich in so many crops and other live stock. The city inside has changed from the last time she came, so many houses stood so close to each other. In the lower ring of the kingdom, she chose to keep a low profile and found an apartment there.

"It's a good place to live in considering there aren't much places like these." Says an old lady named Mrs. Khan who was rubbing her back, "And there's also a nice tea shop just a few paces away." She continues to rub her back, "I must go now, my back is killing me! This apartment costs only thirty pieces of copper per month or if you have gold they're only five pieces."

Kyra nods and drops her belongings to the wooded floor that looked as if it had some serious waxing. She comes close to the old lady and holds her right shoulder and pulls it, hearing a cracking sound the old lady screams in agony. She then rubs her lower back and uses her healing abilities to ease the veins that were feeling so much tension.

The old lady breathes in satisfaction, "Wow, you're good! You should consider being a masseuse, a good friend of mine would gladly take you in on her shop. Thank you so much." The lady bows, "As for your rent, my back has been hurting for months now, no one was able to fix it, consider your first month of rent, free." She smiles, "But, the next few months, aren't, okay?"

Kyra nods and the old lady leaves the room dancing all till she reached the sliding doors. Guess that's how she got her back to be so sore.

Changing her garments to a dark shade of Earthy Green in a long sleeved tunic-kimono that is a bit longer than her water tribe clothes with splits on the ends and a three-fourth black leggings paired with green flats. Her hair which was tied in a high pony tail, now tied in a messy bun.

The apartment wasn't small nor wasn't that big, it had a bed, a kitchen, bathroom and a small living room most of the things even the walls were green. Sighing, already bored she decides to explore the town and leaves the puppy sleeping on the pillows by the living room.

Walking the streets of Ba Sing Se was exhilarating to Kyra, it's been a long time of solitude and seeing other peoples faces was a good feeling. Of course, she'll never admit to that.

In the middle of the busy streets she hears shouting between one of the local store owners, "I said I wanted the mint lotus leaves, this is just plain leaves. What do you take me for?" screams a guy with black hair in a spiky but clean way and throws the leaves on the floor. He also had an unusual mark on his face, familiar though, but she decides to ignore it.

A stout man with long white hair comes in and places his hands on the boys' shoulder to calm him down, "Calm down, nephew. I'm sorry, he hasn't had his morning tea. It makes him cranky. " He apologizes to the owner who was now hiding behind a huge clay pot.

Kyra shakes her head, another short tempered boy who is going through puberty. She ignores it and goes on exploring.

"Zuko, you should go on ahead, I'll handle this." His uncle pats him on his back. He obliges and stomps his way out of the market.

Was it a right? Left maybe? Aggravated he just decides to go wherever his feet takes him and he arrives at a stone bridge connecting the lower ring and the upper ring of the Kingdom.

Powerful sound of water coming down on the river along with it were three screaming girls drenched, make-up running and the water dragging them along. Is that how girls from the upper ring do for fun? If so, he doesn't want to stick around anymore.

He was in the center of the busy market, on a round shaped grounds, and more people rushed in as stalls of different kinds of products from weapons, to pottery to unidentified things were being sold.

"Watch out man, they'll have you running for your money." One of the guys who were forming a small mass of people warns his friend and lets him join what seems to be a game.

Zuko who was curious decides to see what the commotion was all about.

"The concept is easy," says a man with long black hair and long black moustache, "All you have to do is guess where this rare blue crystal is," he holds up a light blue diamond, "these two men will move the crystal back and forth from their hand and you'll choose where it is. Easy right?" more people were attracted, "This blue crystal for just ten pieces of gold!"

And so the games begin, true to his words they did pass the crystal back and forth but then it went faster and faster that it was impossible to catch where it was. But, Zuko's eyes were fast, he knows it was just a trick.

They stop and hold out their clutched hands, "So, where is it?"

The poor guy who was clearly being played, points at the shorter man's hand. Tension fills the crowd as they await the results and slowly, he opens in. Empty.

Zuko smirks, he knows it wasn't with them, but the questions is, where could it be? They were prepared indeed, their hand movements were precise.

"Oh, sorry, better luck next time." The ring leader takes the gold pieces from the devastated soul, "Is anyone else willing to gamble their gold for this priceless stone that could even get you to the upper ring of Ba Sing Se?" he was tempting the people around him.

"I'll do it." A girl comes out from a crowd. She was familiar, Zuko thought, very familiar. She wore a different type of cloth rather than the ordinary garments the Earth Kingdom had, her hair color was also different.

Intrigued, Zuko decides to stay a bit longer.

The man laughs but signals his men to do the whole procedure again.

"Where is it, girly?" he asks

The girl then chooses between the taller man and the shorter one looking at them back and forth, then, her hand lands on one of the audience, a boy.

"You have it." She declares,

The man then laughs but tells the boy to open his palms but there was no crystal, "Sorry, girly, it's not with him." Along with him, the crowd starts to laugh.

"Oh, sorry, it's with me." The girls holds out her palm and true enough the crystal was shining on her hands.

Everyone fell silent, including the ring leader, "You-you cheated! After her!"

Kyra grabs a random guy before dashing out of the crowd and into an alley, she draws closer wrapping her hands on his neck and it looks as if they were kissing. The men who were after her notices them.

"Hey, you two over there."

Hopefully I'll be able to develop their relationship a little before book 3 starts because that's when May comes in..