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Chapter 8: A familiar face

"Order up Lily!" Jin called out and passed the tray across the bar to her fellow waitress with a nervous smile. Lily reached out and grabbed the tray from the shy teen, "Please be careful Lily. They've been gazing at you ever since they arrived. We don't want anymore trouble and Tao just finished replacing the furnishings. Please Lily," Jin pleaded with her friend.

Lily sighed and looked over her shoulder and witnessed her timid friend's observation to be correct before she turned her violet gaze back to her brown eyed colleague. "I'll do my best Jin, but I will make no promises," she replied as she pulled her hair up into her signature high-ponytail with her side bangs framing her careless expression, before she grabbed her tray and made her way towards the customers.

The pretty 15 year old took a calming breath as the Earth-Benders leered at her as she came to take their orders. "Hello, welcome to the Dashing Dagger. What can I get you started with?" she questioned with her scripted introduction.

Lily performed a swift round-house kick to one of the soldiers before subtly bending the air against him, in order to send him crashing into the tables. Her violet eyes narrowing in anger as she ducked underneath a flying rock with a scowl, "I just washed this floor!" She seethed before jumping up to kick another Bender in the head. Ten carefully placed hits later, and all the Benders were downed.

"Dang it! Tao is going to freak," she grumbled as she took in the collateral damage. "Lily!" Tao exclaimed as he too took in the carnage around him before his gaze rested on the guilty teen before he continued with a tense tone, "What's your excuse this time?" She shrugged, "They were harassing me and I defended myself," she stated unflinchingly with a rebellious flame burning in her eyes. The owner sighed upon hearing her response and he shook his head fondly, "You've been spending too much time with June," he paused and his brown eyes softened in concern, "Are you hurt?"he sighed. Lily gave him a half smile, "Nothing I can't handle," she replied before heading over to the bar clean up her mess.

Tao observed the new damage to his restaurant and let out an exasperated sigh, this was the second fight in a month involving his newest waitress. He was beginning to sense a pattern. Something about the pretty Non-Bender seemed to attract negative attention, although he certainly wouldn't blame her having seen first hand how things have gone down.

Lily began idly cleaning off the debris from the bar from the bar-top as she glanced in contempt at the groaning Earth-Benders who were sprawled out across the damaged restaurant floor. Jin walked up to her with a hesitant expression, "Are you alright Lily? They could have killed you," she exclaimed before her brown eyes zeroed in on her friend's injured arm. Lily quickly silenced the outraged cry that would've come from her shy friend, "I'm fine Jin, besides shouldn't you be manning the tables?" she retorted with practiced precision.

Jin stuttered before regaining herself, "I'm sorry to bug you, but would it be too much to ask for you to take my shift? I'll take over the bar," she asked nervously and a knowing smile came across the 15 year old's face as she looked over at the table in question before turning back to her friend. "Sure, I'll take the tables," she replied and was thanked enthusiastically.

Lily hopped over the side of the bar and grabbed up some menus before heading towards the table that held Fire Nation soldiers. Her expression was calm and neutral as she stopped in front of the table, "Afternoon gentlemen, my name is Lily and I'll be your server today. Can I get you started with some refreshments?" she greeted pleasantly as she passed out the menus.

Out of all the waitresses, Lily was the only one completely at ease with serving the Fire Nation citizens, and because of this she often found herself covering other people's shifts to ease her co-workers. And because of this, she received some of the highest tips and was highly regarded amidst her co-workers.

The Fire Nation soldiers removed their helmets and placed their orders while making idle chatter with the pretty young waitress. "That was quite the show earlier. Not many Benders are able to take down four full-grown Benders on their own. That was very impressive skill for one so young," one of the soldiers commented as Lily poured tea for them.

"They were drunk and sloppy and I got lucky. I appreciate the compliment but I am not a Bender," she replied casually while glancing at the stirring Earth-Benders, who shuddered under her menacing gaze.

The Captain noted the fear on their faces and shook his head, "They seem pretty alert for being a couple of drunks. You must have hit them really hard," he stated as he leveled his amber gaze onto the younger Bender, who tensed.

Lily slowly turned to face him and locked gazes with him in suspicion, "They must be hallucinating. Can I refill your tea?" she replied evenly and reached for the scorching teapot. She recoiled and jolted the kettle, sending scalding water hurtling towards her. In a quick movement, she redirected the water to the floor as subtly as possible.

The movement would have gone unnoticed had the Captain not been closely watching for her reaction. "Still falling for the same tricks? It's a wonder anyone still buys your act," he stated with a smug expression. Lily gave him a bemused expression before realization dawned in her eyes, "And why wouldn't they? Normal people don't make it a habit to scrutinize my every action," she rebutted dryly as a smirk formed on the Captain's face. "Always so predictable Sari. The Water Tribe's rubbed off on you," he taunted as he evaporated the scalding water aimed for his head.

Lily growled, "You haven't seen anything yet," she stated cryptically as she ducked beneath a stream of flames and downed him with a quick Airbending maneuver before punching out a jet of green flames towards his face only to pull back in the last minute with a triumphant gleam in her eyes. She moved back into a resting position and cocked her head to the side, "Care to try that again Saru?" she taunted with a smirk.

Masaru gladly accepted a hug from his younger sister, before she quickly made sure that her shift would be covered and returned to her brother.

"Captain, you never told us that you knew the Avatar," one of the soldiers exclaimed as Kirasari exited the restaurant with them. Kirasari raised her eyebrows in silent question before turning to the soldiers, "I am not the Avatar... What I am exactly is still under consideration," she replied in annoyance. "No, this little ball of fire is my little sister Kirasari. She's a Tri-Bender," Masaru supplied and recognition flashed across his soldiers' faces at the name. The girl in question gave a sheepish grin, "I take it you've heard of me?" she stated.

After clearing up any questions or concerns, Kirasari entered into the barracks with her brother. "So what are you doing on this side of the world? I thought you and mom went to stay with family in the North Pole," Masaru questioned from his seat across from his sister. "Mom was requested to help with the incoming refugees here, and I chose to tag along," she replied as she re-adjusted her high-ponytail whilst her eyes roamed the room in hopeless homesickness.

"You don't sound too enthused. Did you not enjoy the blistering cold of the North?" her brother teased knowingly as he watched his sister. "No. The people are nice enough, but it was a bit too stuffy for my taste. Really the only things that kept me from leaving earlier was our younger cousin Yue, mom, and the satisfaction of breaking status quo in their blatantly sexist society," she replied honestly with the rebellious spark in her eyes.

Masaru laughed, "Whatever happened to my sweet innocent baby sister?" he questioned and she smiled serenely as she replied, "She grew up and adjusted to the times." She stated unwavering and Masaru couldn't help but truly notice how true those words were. His little sister had grown into a determined and independent woman.

Little Kirasari was long gone.

Sorry for the long wait! I hope this chapter makes up for my lack of updates, and as usual I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

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Stay tuned for the next chapter and thanks for reading :)