𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘵𝘩

What Happens in Ba Sing Se

Or the coloured redesign...

-

It takes quite a while to find a store with my size clothing, being all too thin and all too short from our travels (We've been starving. New to the two boys, but unfortunately not me.) My ribs threaten to peek through the fabric even, making my first concern food. Milk. I need to grow! I am the last person to purchase and change, so Zuko and Iroh leave without me, assuming I know the streets. I do, but that doesn't make Ba Sing Se any less smaller.

Iroh and Zuko haven't gone far, so I easily catch up with them. "Hey, don't I look better in earth kingdom clothing?" I ask, skipping in front of them. I'm wearing full green, now less tattered and ragged. I wear white loose pants that reach below my knees, and regular shoes. And I've got a dark green long coat that reaches my knees that I flit for effect.

"Green certainly brings out your eyes," Iroh comments with a grin. "So I can say yes. Pretty like a true girl of Ba Sing Se!"

"I guess..." Zuko doesn't even look.

I put my hands on my hips. "You too scared to look, pretty boy?"

He sighs, turning his head my way. He eyes me from bottom to top, something sparkling in his eyes but he only turns away exasperated again. "Well now that I've looked... not much to see."

"Hey!" I pout, but he's definitely letting on more than he says.

"Well, I got us jobs at a tea shop. We start this afternoon," Iroh says. And later that afternoon, we do.

The tea shop owner welcomes us, urging us to get our aprons on. They aren't particularly flattering in colour. "Well, you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel?"

"Ridiculous," Zuko says.

I am okay, though I can't find the will to muster my opinion. It is more of an I don't care case.

"Does the apron come in a larger size?" Iroh asks as he struggles to tie his apron behind his back.

The owner just looks a little embarrassed at Iroh's struggle. "I have extra string in the back. Have some tea while you wait." The owner pours three cups then heads to the back.

Iroh gulps it down with excitement, only to be sorely let down. "Bleh! This is just hot tea leaf juice!"

Zuko eyes him annoyedly. "That's what all tea is!"

"How can a member of my family say something so horrible?" Iroh walks over to the window, dumping all the tea into the street. "There is gonna need to be some changes made around here."