Kaida Queen Of Ice <<ATLA; Book two: Earth>>

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The next morning we began to serve tea once again and as we did so, two men offered Iroh his own tea shop. Our boss tried to convince Iroh to stay working for him, I didn't blame him for his pleading because Mushi was known as the best tea maker in the city. But when they told him he could name his own tea shop, he was sold and it was over.
It was entertaining to watch and I thought that Iroh deserved it. We spent only a few weeks working here and living in Ba Sing Se but Iroh was passionate about his tea so he clearly deserved it.
After the date Zian still came every now and then with the two girls he introduced me too and they were sweet. I'm glad that we remained friends even after the rejection.

"Did you hear that nephew, Natsumi?" Iroh asked. "This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city."

"That's right kids, your lives are about to change for the better." The man said.

"Are we gonna get paid more?" I teased as I walked over and hugged Iroh. "Congratulations, Mushi. You really do deserve it."

"I'll try to contain my joy." Zuko said slamming the tray on the table, before walking out.

"I'll go talk to him." I smiled and walked out, Zuko was leaning on the side.
   "Be happy for your uncle. This seems to be like one of his biggest dreams."

"This isn't what I wanted." He replied. "Like I said before. I don't want to make a life here."

"Well, you can't necessarily go back to the Fire Nation." I muttered and he glared at me. "Why can't you just smile or something, just once."

He shook his head then I noticed he was focused on a piece of paper falling from the sky. I walked over grabbing it. My heart skipped a beat as I looked at the picture.

   "What is it?" Zuko asked and I turned around quickly hiding it behind my back.

"Uh..just ..uh.. A coupon." I stumbled back, he narrowed his eyes at me. "For...50% off on fresh produce! What a deal, let's go!" I smiled and pulled him as I crumbled the paper.

"Let me see it." He growled I pulled it away and tried hiding it but he snatched it. He saw the picture of Appa who was missing and this was the poster to help find him. Zuko then looked up, climbing the building.

"Stop, Lee!" I sighed and followed him up to see more flyers falling.

I couldn't believe Appa was missing and I couldn't believe that Aang and the others were here in Ba Sing Se. I was happy but also worried because I knew this motivated Zuko to track them down once again.

Why can't things go right for me? Just once.

⇢ ⇢ ⇢

Zuko and I walked back to the apartment. I was trying to convince him to stop and leave the bison alone but he just ignored me.

"So I was thinking about names for my new tea shop." Iroh said as we walked in, he was already packing. "How about the Jasmine Dragon. It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring."

"The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se." Zuko said holding the flyer to him. "And he's lost his bison."

I leaned against the wall. "We have a chance for a new life here, If you start stiring up trouble we could lose all the good things that are happening for us." Iroh said.

"Good things that are happening for you!" Zuko turned away from the window.

I felt my heart break in the slightest after hearing that, this is where we started, I thought that was a good thing we had going.

"Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea!?" Zuko asked stubbornly.

"There's nothing wrong with a life full of peace and prosperity." Iroh replied.

"Zuko, I understand what you want." I said standing straight. He looked at me then looked away. "You can't just keep doing things because you think that will make you feel better about yourself." Before he could say anything Iroh spoke

"I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life." Iroh said. "And why."

"I want my destiny." Zuko turned back to look out the window.

"What that means is up to you!" Iroh replied and Zuko walked away heading towards his room. Iroh and I stayed quiet until he blurted something. "The Tea Wemal!"
   He paused and I looked at him confused. "No that's stupid."

"Zuko." I followed him into his room.

"Kaida, you can't stop me, If the Avatar is here in the city he won't have anywhere to go." Zuko said. "I finally have him cornered."

"Right." I nodded. "But what are you gonna do? You have no clue where Appa, is and much less where Aang, is."

"Weren't you the one who said I was great at tracking the Avatar?" He threw my words back at me with a smirk.

"Fine then I'm coming with you." I said and turned away but he grabbed my hand and pulled me back towards him. "What?"

"You're...you're the only good thing that's happened to me since we've been here." He avoided looking at me.

A small smile was placed on my face as I kissed his cheek before leaving the room. I packed up my things from my room, I placed the dying flower that Zian gave me in a book and closed it. I had done the same thing with the flowers that Zuko gave me when we first got here.

⇢ ⇢ ⇢

At night he came out wearing the blue spirit mask he had on when he saved Aang and I months ago. I wore the black cloak and mask, some of my hair sticking out but he was fine with it so we went out.

"So do you actually have a plan?" I asked as we were following a Dai Li agent.

"Wait here." Zuko told me and ran down. "Outta my way skinny." He said pushing past the Dai Li agent.

The Dai Li agent chased after him past a corner. I followed making sure I stopped where Zuko stopped and hid. The agent shot a rock hand at the dummy we made, shooting straight through the chest and decapitating it. He walked over to see it was just a fake body.
   I stepped out covering his mouth with ice which made him stumble back and before he could shoot me Zuko placed the swords at the guys neck.

"If you don't want to end up like him, you'll do as I say." Zuko told him.

"That was easy." I spoke and we started walking.

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Edited; 11/05/20
Re-Edited; 7/10/21