Chapter 4: The House on Lotus Street

When Lady Sela answered the door to her modest dwelling, she was highly confused to see a young man with very familiar blue eyes, his hair pulled back into an organized top knot, sunlight glimmering over his thin, neatly-trimmed beard. "Are you a friend of Sensu's?"

"It's me, Lady Sela," Sokka said to which Sela widened her eyes, recognizing the voice of her son's boss. And what surprised her further was that for once, the young bladesmith, who wasn't covered in soot for once and finally opted to wear clean attire, held energy and vibrance in his eyes. He was positively brimming with life as opposed to the usual lifelessness in his sullen demeanor. It was, of course, a welcome change in him.

Sokka bowed in greeting, caught off guard as Sela's younger son, Lee, torpedoed outside upon hearing his voice and gawked at him, "Wang, is that you?! You look so different!" And he launched himself at Sokka, who chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"It's Mr. Wang or Mr. Fire," Sela corrected her son after blinking out of her surprise. "Show your respect to those who are older than you, Lee."

The boy sighed, "Yes."

"That's okay, ma'am," Sokka said as she bowed back in greeting.

"It must be our lucky day today, Wang," she beamed. "All these years of us inviting you over, and you finally found the time today. And look at you! I didn't even recognize you! Just you wait, all the ladies in Gansu will be after you now."

Lee pulled Sokka inside and led him to a seat. The boy then settled beside Sokka in an attempt to bombard him with questions, but he was redirected to his homework at his mother's command.

"Is Gansu home, ma'am?" Sokka asked her. "I was hoping he is as it's the weekend."

"Yes, he's home."

"Thank goodness. It's hard to get a hold of that man."

"You know how he is, he's as busy as the city he shares his name with." And she briefly disappeared into the backyard, coming back inside with her husband.

"Wang, what a surprise!" The Earth Kingdom man visibly brightened on seeing him. "I've never seen you so put together in all these years."

"Thanks, Gansu."

Gansu took his seat beside him, "And it's great to see you away from the shop for once. I know you're a busy man, but do make some time to socialize."

Sokka attempted another smile, declining offers of food and beverage yet yielding to a fruit drink upon their persistence.

"So what can we do for you?" Gansu asked him. "Anything you need, just say the word."

"I wanted to ask if you sold your old house on Lotus Street yet."

"No, not yet. Someone said they were interested last week but turned it down two days ago."

"I don't understand," Sela frowned. "Yes, it's small, and it's the only house on that street and a bit secluded, but it's not completely away from civilization. It's also quite peaceful and calm. The property comes with a walking trail and everything. It's hard to find something that decent in the lower ring." Sighing, "Folks don't seem to like homes in meadows anymore."

"If it's okay with you two, I'm willing to buy it."

"You? That's wonderful!" Sela clapped, "Finally you're moving out of that horrendous shop—"

"Actually…it's not for me. It's for someone else."

"Who?" But Sela did not wait for an answer as she caught Lee in the act of sneaking outside. "Lee, come back here and finish your arithmetic. You are not leaving the house until you're finished with your homework."

The boy groaned, "But Mom—"

"We are tired of your foolishness. Your father is the headmaster, for Spirits' sake. You need to set an example."

Observing the boy plop down on the carpet and tend to his homework begrudgingly, Sokka told the parents, "You know there's a new tutor coming to town. She teaches math and science."

There was a rare softness in his tone as he spoke, and this did not go unnoticed by the couple. Gansu seemed especially interested in the information, "Math and science?"

"Yeah, she's really good," Sokka nodded. "She went to Ba Sing Se University. Studied astrophysics."

"Oh my, that's very impressive," Sela remarked.

"You know, she even wrote a thesis. She loved studying about the moon. She could spend entire days in a planetarium," the spark in his eyes brightened. "And for her research, she got a lot of praise from the university and earned a scholarship from the Gaoling Institute of Sciences."

"How do you know all this?" Gansu asked, surprised. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah, very well," Sokka smiled, "She's my best friend from university."

"Oh, that's right! Sensu told me you went to Ba Sing Se University for a while," Sela nodded. "I wonder why we're just now hearing about this best friend of yours. It sounds like you were very close with her."

He didn't answer, appearing as if lost in thought despite a polite smile and a nod. Gansu shared a look with his wife, and she nodded in understanding and shrugged off her question, "But anyway, we consider it our good fortune that we have a capable scholar like her moving into the city. Lee has definitely got himself a tutor. Depending on how much she'll charge—"

"Actually, the Gansu Learning Academy is looking a new science and arithmetic teacher," Gansu pointed out. "The teacher we have now is moving to Makapu following her marriage in a few weeks. We are in need of someone to fill her shoes, and the burden is on me as the headmaster to find someone capable—"

"She's more than capable," Sokka urged. "She was at the top of our class along with me. She's brilliant! And she also used to tutor fellow students back then, so she definitely has the experience."

"If that's the case, then all she needs to do is submit her certifications."

His face falling, "Well…due to certain circumstances, she wasn't able to complete the astrophysics track."

"But at least she's a graduate, right?"

"She had to drop out. Like me," he admitted, "and I'm not sure if she has any of her records with her. I won't know all the details until she gets here."

"Does she at least have a copy of her thesis with her? If not, then at least the university would have—"

"Her thesis is also unavailable," he gulped. "There was a fire accident that destroyed the only copy of the manuscript."

"Oh," was all Gansu said as he gave an unsure frown. "Well that's quite…tragic…"

"I know you're looking for more than my word on this, and everything sounds conveniently unavailable for all the hype I'm giving, but you'll have to trust me on this one. You started this academy for many noble reasons. Helping kids, poor families, the educated but unemployed. I really hope you'll consider helping her out, too. She really is one of a kind and…Nothing would make me happier than to see her in a good place. I think this is a really convenient job for her. She'll definitely benefit from a stable job and a fixed salary. Baking at Fen's won't bring much to the table, and I never liked that lady's attitude, to begin with."

"...you definitely don't have to go around making parallels between that stranger and my daughter. At least my daughter has a husband and a child born in wedlock."

"His mother was married, as far as I know. She was honorable."

Gansu seconded Sokka's remark with a nod, having noticed the young man's scowl. "Yes, Fen can be a handful."

"And even with the private tutoring option, I imagine it's gonna be difficult to secure fees from a lot of people since it's the lower ring. Not a lot of people have the money to pay for tutoring services, and even if they can afford them, they won't be able to pay on time with unpredictable income," Sokka pointed out. "She has a days-old infant with her, and she needs to be adequately paid on time."

"Oh, so she's a new mother," Sela softened her eyes. "Does her husband work? Do you know?" And at the lack of Sokka's immediate response, she asked, "Do you know if she is married?"

"It's my understanding that she wouldn't want to talk about that," Sokka said carefully.

"If that's a topic that she doesn't want to be brought up, it will not be brought up," Gansu said. "One's past is one's own business."

Sighing, "I know records are important, and the only ones I can probably point to you are her past grades at the university's document library. We were both neck and neck at the Department of Mathematics and the Institute of Sciences. I can try to get any of her papers for you if you—"

"That's not all necessary, Wang, I'll take your word for it," Gansu told him, his hand on Sokka's shoulder. "If you're that confident that she will do the position justice, then I have no problem with hiring her. But I do want to speak with her beforehand and find out more about her thesis. It beats me as to why a scholar like her had to quit so suddenly. She could have gone places. Was there a family emergency perhaps?"

"I don't know what the circumstances were that made her leave…" his voice grew thick with longing, catching both Gansu and Sela off guard.

"It's alright," Sela said. "We can still make this work."

"Yes," Gansu nodded. "Remuneration will be fixed at forty silver pieces an hour, and it will increase to seventy silver pieces after the first two months if we're pleased with her work. It will still be more than what she would make at the bakery and what she would earn by private tutoring combined. We also have many scheduling accommodations for working mothers, so she does not have to stay on campus the entire day. The math and science section is three hours every weekday, so she just needs to teach for that section and she can come straight home. There are conferences on some days after lunch but it's not bad, and sometimes she might have to be present for student activities to chaperone, but if other teachers are willing to take her shifts for her, that's not going to be a problem. Grading and everything else can be done at home of course. Or if she finds it very inconvenient to go out, she can always do the grading for other teachers so they can attend school events and chaperone. One way or another, we can make this work."

Looking at Gansu hopefully, "Do you think there's a way for her to continue with her research if she wanted to keep pursuing that?"

"Maybe not at this exact moment, but I will say that her knowledge is valuable. If she works at a school setting, she will be able to share her knowledge with a vast majority of children, and if it comes to the point where her work is recognized and awarded by the state, there will be special programs under exceptional service standards where even if she doesn't have her records, she can get opportunities to work with researchers and pursue higher education. Astronomy is a growing field, and Ba Sing Se is eager to welcome people into that branch."

"Every few years, the academy sponsors knowledgable scholars so they can attend conferences and seminars and build connections," Sela added. "Five years ago, we sponsored a language teacher at the elementary education level, and now she's a high-ranking employee of the Ba Sing Se Education Committee. If your friend is really as brilliant as you make her out to be, she could very well be the next recipient. But for her to be eligible for sponsorship, she will need to work at the academy for at least a few months."

"Yeah, yeah, for sure," he nodded, "That not gonna be a problem."

"The main thing she needs to think about is finding someone to watch over her baby while she's at work," Gansu said. "We do strive to help the underprivileged, but we don't offer babysitting services or arrange residences."

"Babysitting shouldn't be a problem," Sokka said. "I can easily get Lady Suki or any of the Kyoshi Warriors or workers at the Women's Center to pitch in with that. But I do still need your help with finding a good place for her to stay."

"That's why you're asking about the house on Lotus Street."

"Yes. She was supposed to be staying at the spare room in Fen's bakery, but I hate the idea."

"Spirits, from everything I've been hearing about it, that place is a nightmare," Sela frowned.

"Fen should just make use of that room for something else instead of leasing it to people. It's a sorry excuse for a habitable place," Gansu huffed. "But the house on Lotus Street is very warm and cozy. It has two small bedrooms and one bathroom. There's a kitchen and a common area. Adequate plumbing and clean water."

"That's exactly why I thought it would be comfortable for her. I'm sure she would appreciate a secluded home that's away from the city chaos but still close to the bakery. It's just her and baby Ummi, so it shouldn't be a problem. And if there are any repairs on the property, I'll personally take care of them."

"Other than the defective lock at the front, everything's alright," Gansu guaranteed. "And there's also that outbuilding you built years ago, and it's still strong as ever. That space can always be used for something."

"I'll have it all fixed up in no time," Sokka stood up, reaching into the folds of his tunic and handing Gansu a stack of cash, "Please keep this with you in advance. I'll have the rest of the balance cleared in two days."

"So you're paying for her?"

"She's not exactly in a financially independent place right now. I want to do what I can to help. And uh…I would also greatly appreciate it if we kept this between us. I don't want her to know I paid for everything."

"She's going to ask who arranged for all of this, won't she?" Sela asked.

"I plan on saying Fen arranged everything."

"Fen isn't exactly the generous type," Gansu took the stack from him, "But I suppose your friend doesn't have to know that."

"I told Fen to say she arranged it all, so no worries there."

"Of course she'll take the credit," Sela sighed. "So when is your friend going to move in?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" they widened their eyes.

"I know it's sudden, but I found out she's coming only an hour ago, and I've been running around trying to get things situated ever since," Sokka said.

"I think it's very sweet you're helping your friend out to this extent, Wang," Sela smiled. "It's obvious you have much respect for her. She must be very special to you."

"Yeah," he nodded, nostalgia brimming in his gaze, "She is."

"I think we still have Lee's old crib," Gansu offered. "It's in good condition."

"Yes, we do. I'll have it washed and steamed and ready by tonight," Sela said.

"That's okay. I kind of already bought supplies to build a new one." Shrugging, "The city doesn't seem to have strong pre-made cribs. That, too, Water Tribe ones."

"Ah, so she's Water Tribe, too. Is she from the South Pole like you?"

"No, she's from the North."

"Wow. Poles apart, hm? No wonder it wasn't easy to keep in touch with her."

He didn't say anything to that, trapping a streak of longing and bowing once again, "Thank you both so much for your help. I really appreciate this."

"If there's anything your friend needs, do let us know," Sela told him, earning a nod and a bow before he hurried off, a spring in his step and a determined beam on his face.

When Piandao made his way to Wang Fire Metalworks, he found that the front door was locked, bearing a sign that disclosed that the shop would be closed to the public until tomorrow. He later learned upon his entry through the employee back door that Sokka had suddenly ordered the shop to be closed for the rest of the day, claiming he had "other things to take care of" and that none of the apprentices would be available for the evening shift anyway. Following that announcement, the bladesmith had retired to his meager living quarters in the back, keeping away from the world while the apprentices placed everything back in place and cleared away the clutter.

None of them complained about the sudden day off, but none of them could refrain from chatting away about the changes that had occurred in the bladesmith since that morning.

"I have never seen Wang without that wild beard of his," an apprentice by the name of The Duke pointed out. He turned to Piandao, "He disappeared for a random 'walk' outside, came running back inside with his arms overflowing with supplies, went to his living quarters like the usual caveman, and stepped out as Ba Sing Se's most eligible bachelor! Then he hit the road again and came back with more supplies, and he's been in his room ever since."

"I didn't expect Wang to be that good-looking, to be honest," laughed a large, stout man wearing a nametag that spelled "Pipsqueak." "It's so weird seeing him without all that facial hair. He looks like an actual human being now."

"Lady Fen was getting onto him earlier," Sensu pointed out calmly. "You know how she is."

"The Boulder is not convinced that Wang Fire would care for others' opinions," boomed the voice of a tall, muscular man who was fixing a dagger display in the corner. "This is not the first time Lady Fen snapped unnecessarily at him or any of us for that matter."

"Maybe he's had enough," came the remark of a woman named Smellerbee, who was at present seated by her husband, Longshot, assisting him in storing away freshly sharpened arrows, "Just let him be."

"But it's just weird because he's usually cooped up in the forge all day," The Duke said. "Either that or he's out on errands. Today he's grooming himself with utmost care and running around."

Piandao frowned in concern. The possibility that Sokka could be preoccupied by Hound activity did cross his mind, but then again, why would Sokka behave this way? Did said Hound activity require him to drastically change his look? "Did he not say anything about where he was going?"

"No, he never said anything," Pipsqueak said. "He just said he needed to 'do something' and left. At first, we had all assumed he was going to the Women's Center. Lady Fen stopped by early in the morning and told him that someone new is coming to town."

"Who?"

"Some lady with her baby. He wanted to help her out apparently."

"The Boulder is confused," the Boulder scratched his head, "If that was the case, wouldn't he stop by the Women's Center and ask the Kyoshi Warriors to arrange for these things? But he never went to see them. Lady Suki came an hour ago looking for him and said he never stopped by to see them."

"Kenji, the zookeeper stopped by earlier and said Wang was all over the place today," the Duke went on. "First, he apparently disappeared into a maternity bazaar at the corner of Michen's Plaza. Then he had a few yak-horse wagons hired to transport lots of furniture from that Water Tribe store downtown. What was it, Kiqtuq's Emporium—?"

"Kungtuk's Tribal Emporium," corrected Longshot.

"Furniture?" Piandao raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, lots of furniture. Ice boxes, carpets, a brand new bed, things of the like. He also bought a bunch of baby and maternity items, too."

"It does makes sense," Smellerbee mused. "That woman's likely a tribeswoman."

"Who?"

"That lady with the baby," Pipsqueak reminded, turning to Sensu. "You were there when Fen came in, weren't you? You remember that woman's name? You know how tribal names end in -iqs and -taks and -uts. Was she one of those?"

"Wang never mentioned her name to me," Sensu shook his head, "I don't know. It's on the information she gave him, though. But my point is, if she is a tribeswoman— which she likely is since he went shopping at a Water Tribe store— he was probably being sympathetic to her plight. A fellow tribal— that, too, a likely-abandoned tribeswoman in a foreign land with a baby and no husband. Financially not in a very good place. It could even be cultural solidarity."

"Even if it was a case of 'cultural solidarity' or even sympathy, I don't see why he'd be so excited to cook a big Water Tribe meal for her by himself."

"Cook?" Piandao said, further surprised.

"He bought a lot of groceries at Kuktuq's—"

"Kungtuk's," Longshot corrected.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Do you know if Wang is seeing anyone, Master?" Smellerbee suddenly asked.

"No, there's nothing like that," Piandao shook his head. "Why?"

"Do you think Wang…?"

"Wang what?"

"And here we thought he never laid hands on a woman," the Boulder shook his head, "The Boulder never expected Wang Fire of all people to have game."

"What are you saying?" Piandao probed, frowning.

"What if he secretly had a kid with someone?" the Duke said.

"That is not possible," the swordsman insisted. "He does not have any attachments."

"He's not a monk, though," Pipsqueak laughed at the explanation.

"But he hadn't been seeing anyone all these years," Sensu noted.

"In front of us, he hasn't, but think about it. If he's this interested enough to do the shopping himself, if he's this personally invested in something someone else could've easily done, whoever he's doing all of this for must be close to him. It could be very possible that this lady is his girlfriend-turned-baby mama. Or his wife if he secretly married her."

"Wang is not married," Piandao said. "And he didn't have relations with anyone—"

"You don't know that."

"He is my best student. He has always been by my side."

"But what if he snuck off one night and…you know… vented out the stress of chaotic Gansu life, if you know what I'm saying, and now he's responsible for a baby? And you guys do remember what Aunt Wu said when she visited a few years ago."

"'Your near future is full of struggle and anguish, most of it self-inflicted,'" the Duke imitated. "'But despair not! Happiness is sure to reach you!'"

"She also said that he'll be reunited with his long-lost love and be a father to his first child by the time he's twenty-six. She said his family will brighten his life. The man's twenty-six and buying baby and baby mama stuff, and he's all smiley when he thinks no one's looking. What more do you need?"

"Like I said, he could just be helping someone out," Sensu defended. "It's probably just a coincidence—"

"Or Aunt Wu's prophecy came true as it always does. Serves him right for calling her predictions nonsense and impractical."

"But in all honesty, we all want what is best for him. The Boulder is pleased to see Wang Fire happy. If Wang has a secret wife and child, and they make him happy, it is a good thing."

With their interests piqued by this theory, the apprentices eventually filed out of the store, still continuing to chat about their theory as they left. Sensu, too, had prepared to leave, but he did not leave without conveying his own opinion.

"I don't want to imply or assume anything, and I didn't want to necessarily join in on everyone else, but…You really should've seen the look on his face, Master, after Fen told him who was coming," Sensu admitted. "Wang was absolutely shocked. He said he needed some air and left. And he came back with all those baby items and other stuff. What if he does know her? What if Aunt Wu was right? What if she's his long-lost lover, and they reconnected?"

Piandao did not answer, his expression indicating that he neither had certainty nor did he care to entertain rumors. Sokka had adhered strictly to the "no attachments" rule, for such endeavors would only be dangerous for the people he would associate with. And the young man's great love for his mother was a strong enough motivation for him. He had never really gotten over the loss of Kya, and the depression had consumed him to the point where he favored solitude over the possibility of new beginnings anyway.

"You know, I've always wondered if Wang had a secret life," Sensu said. "Either that or…if he intentionally keeps his life a secret. He's always been a bit mysterious. Disappearing after dark sometimes even though he lives at the shop. It's obvious some days that he got zero sleep the night before, but he works it all off like he's a machine. He never interacts with people more than necessary." Looking in the direction of Sokka's room, "But something about that woman brought a smile to his face like no other. He's been glowing every time he mentions her or anything about picking her up from the station. He spent hard-earned money on everything that can literally be found in the women's center for free. Just take a look at all the stuff he bought for her and her baby." Shrugging, "I know I said Water Tribe solidarity, and I know he has a soft spot for vulnerable people and wants to help out, but…why would he still go so far? For someone who's not his lover or wife, and for someone who's not his kid? Unless if they are…?"

Piandao found that he had no answer.

Sokka was a simple man with simple needs. That was why several years ago when he first bought the rinky-dink building, he had opted without hesitation to inhabit the sole room in the back that acted as a common area, kitchen, and bedroom all at once. The tiny space allotted for a cramped bathroom, which also served as a laundry room for some parts of the week. There wasn't much furniture in this space; for one, there was a small hearth for cooking and for a meager fire during winter months. There was an old Water Tribe sleeping bag in the opposite corner, serving as his "bed," but it barely served its purpose with its fur material peeling away in its demolished condition.

Then there was a wooden chest propped up against the wall by his sleeping bag; the chest served as a closet, drawer, and bedside table, carrying a jumble of his clothes. An indented space in the adjacent wall, covered up by an old tapestry, housed within it a tiny portrait of his mother, which had later been found in Hakoda's belongings. Beside it, he kept portraits of Aang, Katara, and their three children. Portraits they had sent along with their postcards over the years given Sokka's utter lack of visitation.

It went against the Hound Code to hold onto such attachments, but Sokka had carved an exception for himself, finding that they were the most important of his belongings and the only things that kept him sane.

For several years, this tiny space had remained unchanged— a testament to the minimalistic lifestyle that Sokka was compelled into adopting. Today, however, there was a certain charm to it starting with the aroma of delicious food. The wooden spoon and steel pot which usually lay by the hearth were cast off to the side, replaced by brand new, much bigger pots and pans and a greater number of utensils. Sokka, with his hair pulled up in a neat top knot, was sitting cross-legged in front of the hearth with his back to the front door. The bladesmith was making use of the many groceries he had reportedly bought, tending to four different dishes simmering atop four small fires. He had supposedly made several other dishes, too, having packed them in large vessels that were kept on the floor to the side and were propped atop heat mats.

It wasn't until Sokka turned to set a finished dish aside that Piandao caught a glimpse of the man's face. And he idly noted how long it had truly been since he actually saw Sokka's face without the warrior's hair and facial hair in the way. Over the years, Sokka had truly grown to resemble Hakoda more and more in looks, and the thin beard he now had confirmed this, but there was also a softness in his features that starkly resembled Kya.

"I couldn't recognize you for a moment, there, son."

Sokka briefly turned and saw Piandao, not commenting further on the obvious change. Straining a smile, "I'll be done soon, Master. Please have a seat."

It was hard to find space, however. There were supplies packed in large bags, all of which cumulatively took up over half of the small room. The other half was occupied by the many dishes laid out on heat pads. "What are you making?"

"Just some Water Tribe dishes. Stewed sea prunes, five-flavor soup, fried potato and kelp dumplings, noodles…" and as he caught Piandao's curious look, "There's, uh… someone who's moving to Gansu, and these are for them…"

"I see you have desserts ready, too…" Piandao took note of the different cakes, puddings, sweet fruit tarts — pomegranate, mango, oceanfruit. And moon plums — a disproportionately large quantity of moon plums.

"Yeah, sh—uh…they really like those, so…"

An eyebrow raised, "How do you know that's what 'they' like?"

"A lot of people like 'em, so…I just assumed…"

"You also got a lot of supplies."

"Yeah. These are for them, too."

"You can just say 'her.' These are obviously for a woman. A tribeswoman."

Sokka cleared his throat, "She has a baby with her. Fen asked me to get her some stuff."

It seemed the apprentices were right. There was a shimmer in the bladesmith's gaze, a degree of reverence and excitement in his tone. Piandao couldn't help but ask, "Why would Fen ask you, a man, to get them when there are plenty of women around her in Kyoshi uniforms who also provide services for underprivileged families?"

Sokka furrowed his eyebrows in a blip of defensiveness, his tone nevertheless staying even instead of panicking. "I don't really know."

"But you do know that all of these supplies can be gotten for free at the Women's Center."

Sokka went on with his cooking, pretending as if he almost burnt something.

Piandao continued to look around the room, taking notice of a wooden crib that looked as if it was recently built. Beside the crib was a cradle that also appeared to be assembled. There were a few toys attached to a rod that was fixed firmly to the side of the cradle— soft, stuffed figures of the sun, moon, earth, and stars dangling down. There were also traditional tribal dreamcatchers, symbols of auspiciousness and protection of children, taped to the headboards of both carriers.

"Usually one would suffice," Piandao gestured to the cradle and crib, "You built both."

"I wasn't sure which one she'd prefer, so…why not have both in handy? Maybe she wants both."

Piandao peeked into a few more bags, noticing thick blankets— normal and baby-sized— that were in purple, pink and blue palettes. Some held a plethora of baby clothes, numerous soft toys, plushes, and teething toys; other bags housed fancy newborn dresses with frills and ruffles, bibs, mittens, socks, and mocassins. There were several quantities of diapers and diaper-cloths, accompanied by other hygiene products— seaweed lotion, moisturizers, and things of the like— as well as a tiny bathtub. A few other bags held maternal robes, several in number, along with nursing-related items.

"Those are some lady stuff, I don't know," Sokka said as he saw Piandao's expression. "The vendor packed them."

"And it seems a bit early for teething toys."

"I don't know when babies get their teeth in but might as well."

Zeroing in on a particular toy shaped like a boomerang, "Hm…" But he said nothing further of it. He then took in the presence of a new, large ice box. The warrior opened it up and reached inside to pull out some meats, and from a distance, Piandao could spot twelve different gallons of yak milk huddled to one side of the ice box and thick bundles of kelp beside it.

"That is a lot of kelp," Piandao remarked as Sokka took one of the stacks.

"Yeah, it's for the kelp pudding. And the noodles." And he added hefty amounts in the respective bowls. "The vendor lady said kelp is good for new moms. Helps 'em with their milk."

Oh dear. Piandao gave up on further questions, having gotten enough information, but it seemed the room had more to tell. The older man saw a slip of paper in the tiny trash bin next to where he found his seat; it was a handwritten receipt from Kungtuk's Tribal Emporium, crumpled and discarded. Seeing that Sokka was preoccupied, Piandao reached for the paper and read over the list of items bought: a new bed, a new mattress, carpets and curtains and chairs and tables, a porch swing and a separate indoor swing, three large ice boxes, pelts and couches… And at the end of the long list was a note on additional services rendered: transportation to residence. Number One, Lotus Street.

Piandao widened his eyes at the total amount written on the bottom: one thousand gold pieces.

"Did you need to see me for something, Master?"

Piandao looked up, tearing out a piece of the receipt that caught his interest and throwing the rest back in the trash, trying not to show his aghast look, "I…I wanted to let you know that we plan to have a meeting in two hours. Bato had called for the meeting; he said he has highly valuable information he wanted to share with us. Pakku is back in the province with Long Feng and Fong, so they should be joining us. The meeting will be at the Women's Center in the back room."

And the bladesmith's burdens came crashing over him at full force, the miserable faces of the Hounds coming to memory. "Anything serious?"

"It seems to be. Bato was very adamant about having a meeting as soon as possible. He must have learned something undercover that is of great use." And at Sokka's utter lack of response, "Is everything alright, Sokka?"

"Yeah…everything's fine…" and he went back to his cooking. "Gansu said he needed help with something. I'll meet you guys afterward."

As it turned out, it was Gansu who was going to help out Sokka. On Piandao's way out, he saw Gansu's ox-cart stopping in front of the shop. Gansu made his way through the back door and came out moments later with Sokka, both of them carrying steaming vessels.

"The Kungtuk agents finished setting up most of the furniture. Sela's taking care of the bedspreads and everything. The hearth is good to go, and the water and plumbing are still good. Don't you worry, Wang, we'll have everything sorted out by this evening."

"I can't thank you guys enough for your help," Sokka told the man as he loaded the vessels into the cart.

"You can thank us by cooking us a Water Tribe meal for once," Gansu suggested. "Once she's settled in, that is."

Sokka chuckled, "Will do."

Piandao stayed hidden by a small stall to the left of the shop. He pulled out the small part of the receipt that he had kept, skimming over the address once more. Number One, Lotus Street.