{city of walls and secrets}
zuko and hana walked next to each other through the lower ring of ba sing se. iroh trailed behind them, finally catching up with the two.
iroh was carrying a vase with orange followers in it, "i just want our new place to look nice in case you guys bring home someone special." iroh nudged the two teens.
"i do not see myself bringing anyone around here home," she told him.
"this city is a prison. i don't want to make a life here," he said annoyed with his uncle.
as they continued walking iroh talked to them, "life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not. now come on, i found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon."
it wasn't a surprise for hana that iroh found them jobs. iroh was a sweet talker. they had also been there long enough to find somewhere to start working.
as they walked hana felt something behind them. maybe it was just normal people, but she didn't think that. she felt like she was being watched and it didn't sit with her well.
they finally arrived back at their little home. they washed up and readied themselves for their first day at a tea shop.
why am i not surprised?
the three walked to the shop. they were early. iroh told them that this would leave a good impression on the owner. they obliged, knowing they never had to work a normal job before.
the owner gave them aprons to work with. hana helped zuko tie his apron around him. she then tied hers. the three watched iroh as he struggled to tie his. he was a bit too big.
"well, you certainly look like official tea severs. how do you feel?" the owner asked them.
"ridiculous," zuko said clearly annoyed.
"i'm alright," she smiled politely.
iroh finally gave up on his apron, "uh, does this possibly come in a larger size?"
"i have extra string in the back," he started to pour some tea. "have some tea while you wait," he handed them their tea.
iroh took a sip and was disgusted, "this tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!"
"uncle, that's what all tea is," zuko told him.
"how could a member of my own family say something so horrible!" he gasped. "we'll have to make some major changes around here."
hana laughed, "he does have a point, though."
iroh gasped again as he picked up up the pot of tea. he walked over to a window and threw it out.
"a bit dramatic."
"honestly," zuko agreed.
"nonsense!" iroh ignored the two.
he began to work on the teas. he was trying to fix the mistakes of the owner. he would not have this blasphemous tea.
they worked for a while, helping the elder. soon, people started to flow in, soldiers and commoners. they wanted some hot tea to relax them.
they worked so long it became dark outside, yet still more people were coming in.
hana helped zuko clear off tables of people who had left not too long before. they sighed as they did this, truly not liking how long they'd been there.
"this is the best tea in the city!" a man said.
iroh grinned, "the secret ingredient is love."
iroh finished the cup off and walked towards the owner. the two teens stared at them until he noticed. then they got back to work, not wanting to cause trouble.
"i think you're due for a raise," she overheard.
iroh didn't respond and got back to work. hana cleaned a few more tables up but looked up when someone burst through the tea shop's door.
it was jet, "i'm tired of waiting. these three people are firebenders." he pulled out his swords.
hana, zuko, and iroh looked at each other in shock.
hana laughed at jet, "you'd be wrong, my friend."
"i know they're fire benders!" he ignored hana. "i saw the old man heating his tea."
the soldiers looked confused, "he works in a tea shop."
"he's a fire bender, i'm telling you!"
the soldiers got up, "drop your swords, boy, nice and easy."
jet ignored them too, and walked over to the three, "you'd have to defend yourself. then everyone will know. go ahead, show them what you can do."
hana and zuko had enough of jet. zuko stole the soldier's swords and hana pulled knives from her clothes.
"you want a show?"
"we'll give you a show."
hana pushed a table towards zuko to block jet. zuko pushed it at jet and he jumped over it. jet started to come at zuko. zuko jumped on another table, avoiding getting it.
jet sliced through the table making it hard for zuko to stay balanced. hana quickly bent a piece of the flooring up, knocking him down.
jet quickly got back up and started to focus on her. he was trying to get at her, but she avoided his swords. she threw a knife at him, it sliced a piece of his hair off.
"you're lucky," she snarled. "usually i'm a pretty good aim. perhaps i'm giving you a chance to get the fuck out of here."
"i don't care," jet tried hitting her again.
hana moved out of the way. she quickly got close to zuko. now, jet was facing zuko and hana.
zuko and jet began to fight again. hana told everyone to stay back, not wanting anyone to get hurt.
jet and zuko continued to fight. zuko was able to lead jet out of the shop. everyone came out to watch the two boys.
"you must be getting tired of using those swords. why don't you go ahead and fire bend me?" jet taunted zuko.
iroh pleaded for them to stop, "please son, you're confused. you don't know what you're doing!"
"i- mushi, he's not going to give up."
hana took off running. she was trying to catch up with the two boys. she watched their swords collide. she needed to think of something.
"bet you wish he helped you out with a little fire blast right now," jet continued to taunt zuko.
zuko dodged jet's jab with his sword. jet's sword got lower to the ground each time zuko used his defense.
hana took her shot and used a knife to pin it to the ground. she was lucky, she didn't hit zuko.
zuko looked towards her in shock and then back at up jet, "you're the one who needs help."
zuko swiped his sword at jet, but he was able to maneuver and get under it. zuko's swords only cut jet's piece of wheat that was in his mouth.
did him a favor.
jet regained his balanced and jumped onto the well. zuko remained in a defensive position, ready to attack again. people watched the two male's chaos.
"you see that?" jet pointed to hana and zuko. "the fire nation is trying to silence me. it'll never happen."
i mean no but yes.
jet launched forward at zuko. zuko quickly moved out of the way. the two began to fight back to back. zuko and jet attempt to stab each other, but they keep blocking the other.
iroh and the other's from the tea shop arrived and watched as they fought.
soon, shady figures interrupted the fight, "drop your weapons!"
zuko and jet stopped and stood across from each other. zuko carefully stepped back near iroh and hana.
"arrest them," jet demanded. "they're fire benders."
iroh quickly defended them, "this poor boy's confused. we're just simple refugees."
the tea shop owner also defended them, "this young man wrecked my tea shop, and assaulted my employees." he pointed at jet.
hana smirked a little.
this is going better than it was before.
the soldiers also began to vouch for them, "it's true sir. we saw the whole thing. this crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city."
iroh blushed, "that's very sweet."
hana nudged iroh, reminding him of the gravity of the situation they were in. iroh quickly stopped his blushing.
the figures walked up behind jet, "come with us, son."
jet swang his sword at them. the man caught it with his hands making it bounce off.
hana threw a knife at jet. it caught his clothing and pinned him to stone.
everyone looked at her, "i told you i have good aim."
jet struggled to pull out the knife that was pinning him down "you don't understand! they're fire nation! you have to believe me!"
the figures pulled the knife from his clothes and dropped it on the ground. they covered his hands in stones, making sure he couldn't escape them. they dragged them to a wagon and put him inside. he yelled as this happened. they closed the doors and everyone began to walk off.
hana walked over to her knife and picked it up. she watched as they drove off with jet.
she turned around and everyone was gone except zuko and iroh. "he'd be free if he didn't say anything," she said as she inspected the knife. "he'd be living it up like he said he would. it's a damn shame."
zuko and iroh were surprised by hana's lack of remorse. ulimately, though, she was right. jet would be living happily.
lexi speaks;
this week has felt so damn long. a mf is tired LMFAOOOO
anyway, i thought i'd tell everyone that the last chapter of act 2 should be on the 18th of december!!!