Life in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se continued without a disruption of peace. Homura continued working at Iroh's tea shop and at the house next to her own, Jianji was finally taking her life into her own hands and little Chin was starting to realise that perhaps he could actually become rich in the future. These last few days he appeared to truly be happy and at his joy, Homura couldn't help but be happy as well. And it had all happened because of Iroh.
To express her gratitude for all Iroh did for her and Chin's family, she decided to invite the old man over for dinner a few hours after work. She cleaned her house and cooked as quickly as she could, a meal she had gotten used to eating at Kyoshi island. She also brewed him tea, and by the time he had knocked on her door, everything was ready. Homura rushed to open the door for him.
"Welcome, sir," she smiled as she let him in.
Iroh smiled back as he got inside, his eyes taking in the room before he headed to the kitchen. She closed the front door just as she heard him chuckle. As she followed him in the kitchen, she saw him already taking a seat at the table she had set a few minutes ago, his eyes on the cup of tea she had gotten ready for him. He slowly raised it to his lips and took a sip. Then, he smiled.
"It's jasmine, isn't it?"
She took the seat opposite him as she nodded, "Yes, sir."
"Please call me Iroh, 'sir' makes me feel old," he mused as he took yet another sip, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her over the table. "You said this is the first time you're brewing tea?"
She nodded, "That's true."
"You're rather good at it," he complimented as he set his cup down. "When my nephew tried to make me some tea it was absolutely dreadful. Of course, I didn't tell him anything, he would he disappointed if he knew."
Homura couldn't help but chuckle as she leaned forward, her food forgotten as she watched the old man sitting opposite her that as she had come to realise, had a love for tea and sprouting wise phrases she didn't understand all the time. He also liked to talk about his nephew. After just a few days, she felt as if she knew his nephew almost as much as she knew her friends.
"Tell me more about your nephew, Iroh. What is he like?"
Iroh brightened at her question and instantly replied. "He's a strong and tough young man, around your age. He's absolutely dreadful at talking to ladies and brewing tea-" Homura couldn't help but laugh as Iroh took a bite from the food and let out a small hum of appreciation. "I think I'll ask you to cook more often from now on, Homura."
"It would be my pleasure," she smiled as she ate a bit as well. "What else can you tell me about your nephew?"
"He's a skilled fighter like you," he said, subtly complimenting her. She smiled in response as he continued talking. "He's had a tough childhood. His mother was forced to leave when he was young and his father was absolutely dreadful and it took him a while to find himself but he finally did and I couldn't have been more proud."
"That's something else your nephew and I have in common," she admitted softly as she turned to her food, not noticing the interest in the old man's eyes as he assessed her. "My parents were dreadful. They were extremely disappointed I wasn't a bender, claimed I was of no use to the lord they were following. My grandmother was the only one who loved me for who I was. I'm not sure if I've found myself yet."
"I think you have." She looked up at him just in time to see him smile at her. "You were a Kyoshi warrior. You helped us win the war and you helped people. Without you, there wouldn't have been peace and despite the hardships you've encountered, you've managed to choose a few things to call your own. Your ring, your sword. They are part of who you are. You've an idea of how you want to be."
She nodded, "That's true."
"I had some trouble finding myself as well," he admitted as he turned to his food, and hurriedly Homura ate as well as he paused, her eyes never leaving him when he finally got the courage to speak up. "I lost my son in the war. I was a different man before the loss of my son. My wife never forgave me for his death. With him gone, my life was shattered. I had to move on and in the process I truly found myself."
Homura couldn't bring herself to eat anything else. "I'm sorry."
"You're a good person, Homura," he smiled over at her, "I know you are. Chin is rather fond of you and I doubt it's without reason. I don't think you need to find yourself. Your path is clear already."
She frowned, "Is it? I can't see for myself what I should do."
"Let go of the guilt and you'll be able to see clearly," he adviced softly, "believe me, it works."
Homura had no reason to doubt him and so, she only sent him a nod before she forced herself to eat before her food got cold. For a while all anyone could hear in the kitchen was them eating before Iroh spoke up.
"Would you mind telling me how you got burnt?"
There was something about this man that allowed her to speak freely and she wasn't even surprised when she nodded and moved her legs to the side of the table and pushed up the cloth covering them, allowing Iroh to see the scars on her legs going up to her knees. He examined her scars carefully before he looked up at her once more.
"My mother blew up the house of my best friend when I was ten and I was right outside the house when it happened, because they were about to jeopardise a mission she was doing for her lord," she explained, paying no heed to the way his expression darkened. "She meant for me to be there so she could use me as an alibi she didn't start the fire. It worked but I suffered the consequences, never mind the psychological impact losing my best friend and his whole family left on a ten-year-old child."
Iroh let out a deep sigh, "She sounds awful."
"She's crazy, I believe," she shrugged as she let the cloth covering her feet fall back in place. "Anyway, she got what she deserved. I ruined her mission, got her imprisoned and left the city we were staying at with the Kyoshi warriors."
"A good decision," he smiled slightly as Homura sent him a nod.
"It wasn't an easy one." She looked away, her lips turning into a frown. "Even after all she had done I couldn't get through with it at first. She was my mother, she was supposed to care about me. Ever since I can remember myself I've always tried to make my parents or the people that took care of me during the years proud. To suddenly betray her was a decision I didn't take on the spot. It took me months to even consider it, never mind decide I was actually going to do it." She looked up once more, her brows furrowed. "Even after I left home, I felt so guilty. It took me years to truly get over the guilt and then I was so angry whenever I thought about it. I'm not sure I've gotten over my betrayal yet, to be honest."
"Homura, it won't do you well to dwell on your past and what could have been," he spoke up softly with a gentle smile as he leaned forward, meeting her gaze. "These times have passed, never to return. But you still have all your life in front of you. No matter your past decisions, you have to shape the life you have left in such a way so it'll be the best outcome you could ever have."
Despite her earlier confession, she smiled. "Is that what you did, Iroh?"
He beamed, "Precisely! This has been one of the best decisions of my life so far."
She smiled at his confession before her smile fell, her eyes fell on the table as she remembered her days in Kyoshi island and the Fire Nation. She had truly been happy. Once more, though, she had allowed her guilt to dictate her decisions and she was afraid she had ruined her chance to a life she'd love to have.
"I'm afraid I had the chance to truly be happy and I gave it away without realising it."
Iroh's reply was instant, "If that's truly what you want, you'll find a way back to that life."
There was a knowing glint in his eyes and at the moment, she could really look at him. He had filled her with hope and at this point, she was afraid hoping would only make her depressed at the thought she had given up a life in the Fire Nation to go to a city she hadn't had the best memories of. With a brief shake of her head, she spoke up once more, directing the course of the conversation back to their initial topic.
"I got this burn about two months ago," she gestured to the scar on the base on her arm and shoulder but didn't move the cloth to show it to him. "I went to the Fire Nation capital with the Kyoshi warriors because the Fire Lord asked us to come so we could celebrate the Avatar's win against Fire Lord Ozai during Sozin's comet. A few days before the celebration I tried to prevent a thief from getting away and got burnt."
"I'm sorry to hear that," he frowned, "I hope the Fire Lord tended to your wound as he should."
There was a beat of silence as she smiled. "He did, he was rather worried...It was sweet."
The corner of Iroh's lips pulled into a smile but before Homura could read his expression, he ducked his head and focused on his food. "I see. How is the Fire Lord?"
Homura doubted if he would appreciate a full description of a man she had feelings for, so, attempting to keep herself from blushing, she looked up at him. "What do you mean?"
"I heard a few people say he's rather cold," he explained as he glanced up at her. "Also indifferent. They say he cares only about himself and his scar is hideous."
Her eyes narrowed at once. "He's not cold or indifferent and Zuko's the most selfless person I know! He cares about his people and would do anything in his power to help them. And his scar isn't hideous, it speaks of his bravery, untamed spirit and good heart, not to mention all he's been through to get to the point he's right now. He deserves to rule the Fire Nation and I for one would be honoured to have him as my leader."
It was then she noticed Iroh's hardly concealed smirk and at once, she could feel her cheeks gaining colour. She cleared her throat. "You shouldn't believe what these people say until you've met the Fire Lord for yourself."
"I'll keep that in mind," he mused as he reached for his cup of tea. "The Fire Lord is lucky to have someone like you as their ally."
Homura sighed. "These were one of the best days of my life. I wish..."
She broke off as she bowed her head and closed her eyes, fighting to keep her thoughts from running astray, to friends she had left behind weeks ago. Iroh sensed her turmoil, and to her immense relief, cleared his throat, and changed the subject.
"As I told you a few days ago, Pai Sho is a game of strategy and patience and I would love to teach you one day. My nephew was never patient enough to learn the ways of my favourite pastime after brewing tea..."
-
The hawk flew in the air, its eyes trained on the area below before it noticed the company of six about to leave as the sun rose in the clear sky. It flew down, right by a sky bison and landed on a short rock. It chirped. At once, one of the companions without any hair and a body covered with arrows walked over and grabbed the rolled piece of parchment at the hawk's legs. He read through it, his eyes widening before he looked up, his lips pursed. He turned to his friends.
"Guys, we have a problem."
At once, a woman with dark skin and stunning blue eyes looked up, appearing worried as she walked over to the man with the tattooed arrows. "What's wrong, Aang?"
"There's been an uprising in one of the cities under Wu Bei's control. They're asking for our help."
"We can't go now," another person from the company spoke up, this time a man with dark hair and a scar on the side of his face. "We're still looking for Homura."
"Yes," another member of the group spoke up, a woman standing beside a dark-skinned man with a boomerang at hand. "We were supposed to go to Ba Sing Se today."
"Things aren't as tragic as you make it sound," the last woman of the group spoke up as she pushed her bangs away with a huff, not bothering to leave from her position on the ground. "Twinkletoes, Sugar Queen, Captain Boomerang and I go to their aid. Zuko and Suki go to Ba Sing Se. Simple."
Aang exchanged a look with the woman standing beside him before he nodded. "Toph's right, that's the only way. We'll fly to Ba Sing Se, leave Zuko and Suki there to search for Homura and we'll make sure everyone's safe at the rebellion."
"Finally," the guy with the boomerang grinned, "some action."
One by one, the friends got on the sky bison's saddle and got in the air, going to the city of Ba Sing Se. A short while later they had reached the outer wall and after Aang informed the guards that Zuko and Suki didn't mean any harm and were just looking for a friend of theirs, Zuko and Suki thought it was safe to leave the sky bison. They waved their friends goodbye as they walked away and then turned to Ba Sing Se, only having with them their weapons. Zuko turned to face Suki who for once wasn't dressed in her Kyoshi warrior armour and spoke up.
"We look around for Homura and go to Uncle's house at night. If we don't find her today, we'll search again tomorrow."
Suki nodded as she turned to face him, "Let's get started."
Zuko sent her a nod as they slowly left the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. The search for Homura had officially began.