The ferry departed; Zuko, Shinju and Iroh were on board.
"Who would have thought after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace," Iroh said and turned away for a second before turning back with a floral hat on his head "as a tourist! Shinju, what do you think?"
She was leaning to the ocean and vomiting "I think this! Ba Sing Se is nothing but a mouthful vomit."
"Look around. We're not tourists, we're refugees." Zuko said and sipped food and spited it out "Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this!"
Shinju said nothing, she continued to vomit.
"Aren't we all?" said a brown haired boy with a hay in his mouth "My name's Jet and these are my Freedom Fighters. Smellerbee and Longshot."
"Hey." Smellerbee said. Longshot nodded.
"Hello." Zuko said. Shinju was still vomiting.
"Here's the deal. I hear the captain's eating like a king while the refugees have to feed off his scarps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?" Jet said.
"What sort of king is he eating like?" Iroh asked.
"The fat, happy king." Jet responded. Iroh's moth hung open as he started to drool "You want to help us "liberate" some food?"
Zuko tossed the bowl of rotten food into the water "I'm in." he said and turned to Shinju "What about you?"
"I have seasickness, I can't even walk without vomiting." she said and with a gagging sound she vomited again.
Iroh looked at Zuko "You can find the things to make her medicine."
Zuko turned to Jet "I'm absolutely in."
Jet smirked.
***
Jet passed out food to other travellers. The other Freedom Fighters, Zuko, Shinju and Iroh sat together. Iroh had made the medicine so Shinju was not vomiting anymore.
"So, Smellerbee. That's an unusual name for a young man." Iroh said.
"Maybe it's because I'm not a man... I'm a girl!" Smellerbee yelled and walked away.
"Oh, now I see. It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!" Iroh shouted but it was no use. Shinju shook her head in his direction. Jet approached them.
"From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se. I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall." Jet said. Shinju leaped up when she heard the name of the city.
"It is a magnificent site." Iroh said.
"Liar," Shinju muttered under her breath.
"So you've been there before?" Jet asked "Both of you?"
"I don't want to talk about this." Shinju brushed him off.
"Once. When I was a... different man." Iroh answered him.
"I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of, but that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se: for a new beginning. A second chance." Jet said. Shinju leaped up, again and glared at Jet. Can't he see that I have problems with the name?!
"That's very noble of you. I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances." Iroh said, looking at Shinju. She shrugged and yawned.
"Someone is sleepy." Jet said.
"Vomiting all day is not easy, okay?" she said and yawned again. Then, she put her head on Zuko's shoulder "I'm not asking anymore."
Zuko smiled as she closed her eyes. She woke up several hours later and realised that Zuko has fallen asleep. She straightened, then made Zuko lie on her lap. He tried to resist but Shinju won. She started to run her fingers through his hair.
"You love him, don't you?"
Shinju looked to the source of the voice. It was Jet "What makes you think so?" she asked him.
"I can see it from your eye."
She needed to be sure that Zuko was sleeping so she whispered to him "Zuzu, I've seen the Avatar on board." but there was no response. He was really asleep. She turned to Jet "Yes, I do."
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Jet said "But you may want to know that he loves you, too."
Shinju looked away "He doesn't."
"I have seen how he looked at you while you were sleeping."
She took a deep breath "Believe me Jet, there's someone else in his life."
He shrugged "I don't know about that but I think it is certain that he loves you."
"He used to." Shinju murmured "When we were all happy."
***
Jet approached Zuko, it was morning and they were all awake "You know, as soon as I saw your scar I knew exactly who you were." Jet said. Zuko's eyes widened. Did he really know that he was the Banished Prince? "You're an outcast, like me." He took a deep breath when he heard that "And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs. Because no one else will."
"I've realised lately that being on your own isn't always the best path." Zuko said as the ferry closed in on the walls. Fifteen minutes later, they were in front of a ticket woman who was inspecting Zuko, Shinju and Iroh's tickets.
"So, Mr Lee, Miss Nishi and Mr umm... Mushy, is it?" the ticket woman said.
"It's pronounced Mushi." Iroh corrected her.
"You telling me how to do my job?" the ticket woman was annoyed.
Iroh approached the ticket both "Uh, no, no. But may I just say you're like a flower in bloom. Your beauty is intoxicating."
Zuko and Shinju both looked at each other.
"You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome. Roar! Welcome to Ba Sing Se." she said flirtatiously and stamped their tickets.
"I'm going to forget I saw that." Zuko said, disgusted. He grabbed the tickets and walked away, Shinju was after him.
"My eyes are BLEEDING!" she yelled.
The trio were waiting for the train. Jet approached and sat next to Zuko "So, you guys got plans once you're inside the city?"
"I'm planning to not to get inside the city." Shinju grumbled. She leaped up when she heard the name of the city.
"Get your hot tea here! Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!"
Shinju closed her ears.
Iroh waved hand "Ooh! Jasmine please."
The tea seller poured tea into a leaf cup for Iroh. Iroh sipped the tea, but soon grimaced at its repulsive taste "Blaugh! Ugh, coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it! What a disgrace!" Iroh said.
Shinju leaped up again "Do. Not. Say. It!"
"Were they that bad?" Zuko whispered to her "Your days in the city?"
"They were nice but the fact that I was deported was not good. Plus I have faced the Dai Li, one of the worst experiences of my life." she responded.
"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Jet asked.
"Which you? Me? Him? Or us?" Shinju asked.
"Him." Jet said, motioning for Zuko to follow him. Zuko sighed and reluctantly rose. The two walked several feet away from Iroh and Shinju's spot.
"You and I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together. You want to join the Freedom Fighters?" Jet asked to Zuko.
"Thanks, but I don't think you want me in your gang." Zuko responded.
"Come on, we made a great team looting that captain's food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees."
"I said no." Zuko said and walked away.
"Have it you way." Jet said.
Zuko caught the sight of Iroh, who was sipping his now steaming got tea, causing his eyes to widen in shock and realisation. Zuko approached Iroh, glanced over his shoulder at Jet who narrowed his eyes and walked away. Angrily, Zuko knocked the tea cup out of Iroh's hand. Shinju was unaware of everything, she was trying to forget the fact that she was returning to Ba Sing Se.
"Hey!" Iroh said.
"What are doing firebending your tea? For a wise, old man, that was a pretty stupid move!" Zuko gritted in a whisper.
"I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea but..." Iroh said and sniffed "it's just so sad!"
The next chapter is going to be a lot better I promise!
Our ship's name is going to be Zuyo, I hope it's okay for everyone :)
Don't forget to vote and comment
I love you guys so much!!
Winged lemur kisses :*