Kuai walked up to the woman at the bakery. She was old and looked very angry, but no one ever knew why. She was just cranky, all the time. Kuai hated that she couldn't do anything about it. Kuai instead decided just to by a small loaf and be on her way. Of course, the crowd was rushing and wild like it always is this time of day, because every store is open and everything is fresh. Kuai was calmly trying to find a cheap loaf that might last her a couple of days.
Kuai: Um, ma'am? How much does this small one cost?
The baker-lady looked at her with a smug face, then to the loaf, then back to Kuai. Kuai was being pushed around by some women trying to buy vegetables from the neighboring stand, but managed to stay on her feet and paying attention.
Baker: Four silver pieces.
Kuai: Oh...I only have three.
Baker: Then get a job and come back when you have one more!
Kuai: I'm not a citizen of Hira'a. No one wants to hire me!
Baker: That's your own fault! Don't come complaining to me! I work hard to make every one of these loaves!
Woman: Excuse me, miss. How much for this small loaf?
A woman from the crowd spoke up behind Kuai who still hadn't moved. She was pointing to the same loaf Kuai wanted. The baker smiled unkindly.
Baker: Two silver pieces.
Woman: Thank you very much!
The woman walked off with the half-price loaf and Kuai pouted. She hadn't eaten anything decent for three days, and has only drank the muddy water from the nearby lake. Now she was being cheated and humiliated by pretty much every single person in the town. She walked to the front steps of a general store and sat. The place wasn't very popular, so she probably wouldn't have to deal with many rude people. She sat there for maybe ten minutes when a little girl passed by. She recognized her. Maybe her name was Kiyi? Anyway, they waved to each other and another ten minutes went by in Kuai's lonely universe. Suddenly, a tall man appeared in front of her.
Man: Excuse me, but I just found someone I was looking for, and I need to find someone else. Would you help me?
Kuai lifted her head and looked up at him, but couldn't see him because of the sun.
Man: May I sit?
Kuai: Sure I guess.
So the man sat on the step next to Kuai, not too close but not too far away. Now she could see his face, and she was speechless.
Man: I think I found her.
Kuai: F-firelord Z-zuko!
Zuko: Please, leave out the firelord title.
Kuai: W-why are you hear in Hira'a?
Zuko: Like you said, I'd go looking for someone, and I found her. Then you said I'd find you. And I did.
Kuai: Who did you go looking for?
Zuko: My mother, Noriko.
Kuai: SHE's your MOTHER?
Zuko: Actually, Ursa is her real name. She went to the Forgetful Valley years ago and changed her face, but she just changed it back.
Kuai: Oh...
Zuko: I heard you wanted to do the same.
Kuai: Oh, well...yeah. But I had reasons!
Zuko: Like what?
Kuai: I couldn't stand that you and Mai were together.
Zuko: You know we broke up, right?
Kuai: Oh my gosh, why'd she dump you?
Zuko: How'd you know that she dumped me?
Kuai: Cause you're a little too nice to do that to someone, and if you dumped her she'd probably have killed you already.
Zuko: Yeah, true. Um, she found out I was keeping secrets a lot. She said I loved my secrets more that I loved her. And that's actually true.
Kuai: And how come you told me this?
Zuko: Cause it felt like I should...and you asked.
Kuai: Would you have told this to Mai if it was the other way around?
Zuko: I-I, uh...
Kuai: Come here...
Kuai softly touched Zuko's cheek to bring him closer as she kissed him. He placed his hand on her waist as they kissed for a few more seconds before Kuai turned away. Zuko took back his hand and so did Kuai.
Kuai: So, where's the gang? Did they come with?
Zuko: Yeah, actually they did.
Kuai: Cool, let's go!
Kuai grabbed Zuko's hand and dragged him off the stairs. The crowd instantly made a path for the firelord, but then had to make confused second looks when they saw this peasant girl walking beside him as if she were even more important. And to Zuko, she was.
Kuai: Hey guys!
Katara: Kuai! Hi!
Sokka: Where you been?
Kuai: Here.
Aang: Your hair got longer...
Zuko: I can't believe it's been two years.
Kuai: Me either, cutie. Tell me, what's been happening in Yu Dao?
Katara: Well, the rebellions have started to stop, and the damage done is pretty bad. But overall, the fighting is over.
Sokka: The people there are big jerks.
Aang: Sokka!
Katara hit Sokka in the arm. Apparently they were trying to make Sokka be nicer, which will never happen, sorry.
Sokka: What? It's true!
Zuko: I'm going to have to send the Kyoshi Warriors there to help clean it up.
Katara: Or how about you send people you actually have control over? Like your servants? Because the Kyoshi Warriors don't have to do everything you tell them to.
Zuko: Yeah that would work. But they're a little too used to fancy stuff.
Kuai: Then just get some volunteers. And if that doesn't work, pay people to do it.
Aang: That's actually a good idea.
Kuai: Thanks.
Katara: Kuai, I just realized, you look starved!
Kuai: It's not that bad, trust me.
Sokka: Seriously, when's the last time you ate?
Kuai: Almost three days ago. I had this weird mushroom stew stuff. Before that, I hadn't eaten for about a week.
Aang: Why?
Kuai: No one will give me a job so I can't pay for anything. And all the land with food is owned by some people.
Zuko: Hold on.
Zuko began to walk through the path that everyone kept making for him. He stopped by the fruit stand, bought some dragon-peaches, went to the vegetable table, got some bamboo-onion sprouts, and to the bakery and bought a giant loaf of bread. There was enough food to have a feast, in Kuai's standards, that is.When the baker-lady saw Zuko give Kuai the loaf, she got angry, but then also embarrassed.
Kuai: Thanks cutie!
Kuai hugged Zuko really tight, almost making him drop everything. She let go because she knew she was probably suffocating him. Aang and Sokka grabbed some of the food to give Zuko a rest, but Katara had to take it from Sokka before he ate it.
Kuai: Hey, you guys wanna share this with me? I can't eat all of this before it goes bad, and I haven't had company for a long time.
Aang: I don't know...
Katara: *lightly hits Aang* Of course!
Sokka: Sure, whatever.
Zuko: Like old times.
Once the marketplace started to clear, the group sat in a quiet little clearing near the edge of someone's farm. Zuko started a small fire and the group circled around like they did during the war. Zuko had taken off his special Firelord robe-cape-thing that made him look official and majestic. Now he could relax. Kuai was wearing something similar to what Ty Lee used to wear, but red and less sexualized.
As everyone around the circle silently ate, Kuai stared at each of them. Everyone was getting kind of creeped-out, but as long as she ate they were happy. Sokka burped into the silence, but covered his mouth in embarrassment as everyone laughed.
Kuai: I love you guys.