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 Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:57 pm
Tsuzuki grinned, picking up on the twos obvious feelings for each other. As she walked into the shop, she went towards the back and told Baolin, "Well, we seem to be in the right place. Even though this place is advertised in the front as a jewlery store, if you come to the back, you find the most interesting, rare things."
She picked up something that was on the counter in a display. At first, when it was hidden in the dark, it seemed like just a normal, stone structure of a platapus bear and her two young ones dancing happily around what seemed like a center stone. But, when Tsuzuki emitted a small flame from her palm, it began to glow. The platapus bears turned into jade with amethyst stones for eyes and rubies for claws. The ground turned into pure onyx and the stone in the center turned into a brilliant blue saphire. She smiled and said, "Give this to her while she's in a dark place. That way, she'll finally learn that nothing is as it seems."
Tsuzuki passed it to him, hoping that he would notice that, despite its number of heavy jewels, it was very light. As it went out of her fingers into his, she said, "Now, about helping me find an apartment. . . I was actually wondering, even though you don't know me very well, if I could stay with you. Before you say no, I want to tell you that I would stay out of your way at all times, help around the house, and even help pay rent."
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:19 pm
Baolin passed the desired price for the item to the storekeep, not bothering to haggle, still admiring the piece. Sure Zayiya was no firebender, but so long as she carried matches around, which she did anyway, she was sure to love it.
He glanced us as the girl's sudden bold question. A little too bold for common courtesy, though ordinarily, he wouldn't have denied her. If, ordinarily, he wasn't staying in the upper level with constant visits on behalf of the royal family. This would take some proper introducing.
"Well, ah," he stumbled awkwardly. "It might be a little uncomfortable for you. I mean, I'm technically living alone, but... I live a ways away from the area you were searching for homes in. And I don't even know your name, yet."
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:36 pm
Tsuzuki shrugged, "Name's Tsuzuki. I'm a firebender, obviously. And you're Baolin. Judging from how your name rings a bell and I know the names of all in my small, insignificant childhood, you must live in the upper ring. I figured this all out already, of coarse. But what you're asking yourself right now is probably something along the likes of 'why does she want to stay in the upper ring?' or 'what right does she have to ask me this'."
She took a short breath and continued, " I want to stay in the upper ring 'cause I like the earth kingdom. It's peaceful and quiet and I don't have a feeling where everything has to be going fast here. But, see, I've just found that a pickpocket has stolen my money and I can't buy an apartment and I cannot ask favors of money from another person. And as for my right to ask, well, you're nobility, I'm nobility and I have information from my pa back at home that might be to your advantage as a higher up in the earth kingdom."
She couldn't believe what she was saying. She could be selling out the fire nation to the earth kingdom and not even know it. Even though she wasn't sure she could do this while having the peaceful set of dharma that she did, she needed somewhere to stay and someone with which to establish a connection in the earth kingdom.
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 5:57 pm
Baolin sighed, running a hand through his already pulled-back hair, mussing it a bit. Well, this certainly explained a lot. Her flippant attitude was the same as what he had seen in about half the nobles he knew (the other half being stuck up). And she had a valid enough point. He hadn't any particular reason not to take her in. Even if she was a spy, all his vital information was tucked safely away in his head, and assassins he could handle.
And if she was as peaceful as she assumed, well... he doubted this girl knew he wasn't any mere nobleman's son.
"All right," he sighed grudgingly. "I do owe you enough and you're down on your luck. Just don't count on a whole lot of peace and quiet where I live. And I won't be here long, either."
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:28 pm
Tsuzuki grinned to herself for only a second then gave Baolin a smile, "Thank you very much, sir. I don't mind if there's not very much peace and quiet there. It has to be better than the streets. Especially those in the fire nation."
She shuddered silently to herself and continued, "Sorry to be so bold but, how close to the palace do you live in the upper ring? Is it anything like the fire nation? Are the houses big up there or just avarage compaired to the small shacks here in the lower levels?"
She couldn't help it; she was just bursting with questions so that she could know as much as possible.
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:58 am
"Here, follow me," Baolin instructed, leading her to one of the trains that circulated the city. He scratched the faint stubble on his chin, considering her question.
"Well," he allowed. "My house is pretty close to the palace. One of the closest, actually. They like to keep people for specific business close as possible, but I didn't really want to stay in the palace itself. My house... ah, well, I suppose it's bigger than the houses in the other levels, but it isn't massive. No maid service or butlers or anything like that. I only have a few guards with me, but they're all right. But tell me about yourself. Why are you in Ba Sing Se?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:34 am
Tsuzuki thought for a moment before answering, "I'm not entirely sure. See, a few weeks ago, I was home in the Fire Nation when a water bender landed nearby. After a few moments, we ended up in a battle. Since I was fairly new at bending for defense, or offense for that matter, I lost. But Kazuki invited me to come train with him in the north pole. So that's where I was until a letter from my parents came."
She stopped herself, "And what was in that letter is what I need to tell you about when we're away from prying ears. But, it gave me a reason to travel back home so I took a ship which landed in the western forests. I decided that I might as well see some of the Earth Kingdom before I had to go back. I guess that explains why I'm here."
As the train came to a stop and she began to exit the stone doors, she turned back to Baolin and asked, "So why're you here?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:22 pm
"Trade," he explained, though with far less enthusiasm. "Trade, trade, and more trade. Amayen has recently begun to open up with more than just exotic pets and bamboo, and my ambassador Zayiya and I have to go everywhere for the business."
He glanced sidelong at Tsuzuki. She was proving to be more and more interesting with each passing moment.
They came to the train station, where he easily handed over the desired money and led the firebender to their seats. With a groan of stone against stone, the train began to move, and he resumed speaking.
"You know, Zayiya should be in the South Pole now, unless she's left already. You might have met if I'd decided to send her up north."
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:53 pm
Tsuzuki smiled at first and said, "Well, I'm sure she'd be just as nice- if not nicer- than everyone else I met in the Northern Water Tribe. The south pole's pretty far from here. I guess that I'd like to go some day."
She then raised her eye brow and asked, "So what are you trading from your city now? Aside from bamboo and pets there isn't much. Well, then again," she said with a laugh, "I don't know much about trading."
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:40 pm
Mako sat against the wall of a crumbling building, picking on the strings of a small sitar. His hair fell over his eyes, his head rolling from side to side as it hung down low. He yawned for a moment, then changed the tune of his sitar before singing.
"~Leaves from the vine~falling so slow~like fragile, tiny shells~drfting in the foam~little soldier boy~come marching home~brave soldier boy~comes marching home~"
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 8:55 pm
"Most of our goods consist of animals and bamboo," he explained. "Nobles everywhere have been interested in our parrotsnakes lately, though I don't quite know why. You can teach them not to bite, but they'll always be insolent. And they can get to be quite large.
"But aside from that, we also sell various fruits and other things you here might consider exotic, simply because Amayen is the largest exporting tropical city."
THe train slowed to a halt at last in the upper level's station. Baolin stood and motioned for Tsuzuki to follow him.
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:28 pm
Tsuzuki grinned and followed eagerly. She then asked, "So, tropical city, huh? Is it by a beach or waterfall or something? Do you like it there better than here?"
She stopped herself before exiting the train station and blushed as she said, "I'm sorry for asking so many questions."
As she exited, she noticed that this part of the major city was very delicate and much more put together than the lower class. Fountains and rivers were everywhere but didn't clutter the streets and added a certain elegance to the mixture. "Wow," she commented then asked, "Do you get to see this kind of elegance every day you're here?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:59 pm
"Yes," Baolin admit fondly, glancing around the place. "It's nice to see, but only as a holiday. In truth, I find Amayen to be the most beatiful place in the Earth Kingdom, if for no other reason than it is my home and those are my people."
He led her down one of he garden paths, over bridges and rivers with not-so-wild blossoms blooming in every direction. Nobles and other upperclass citizens strode about the walkways, adorned in the latest and most elegant fashions. No doubt he and Tsuzuki stuck out quite a bit. At least they had grown accustomed to him.
"As for what Amayen is like," he chuckled. "Well, I don't mind your questions so much, but if you'd really like the answers you'd better prepared to do a lot of listening. And when I'm finished, a lot of talking. I'd love to hear of your journeys and your story."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:47 am
Mako stood up and leaned against the wall as he began to play louder. Some children stopped in front of him and laughed, dancing around like little monkies. Mako smirked as they danced around and decided to join in with them. He stepped forward and spun around, hopping on one foot in the middle of them. He moved about dazily, more laughter erupting around him as the children watched him.
Mako bumped into someone as he walked backwards, halting the humming string on his sitar as he looked up. A thick beaded man carrying a large barrel stared down at him, a vein visible on his head as he grit his teeth.
"Uh...yo!"
"The heck're you doin' kid!? Yer blockin' the road!"
Mako dashed back to the wall, whistling as he hd the sitar behind his back as if he'd never had it in the first place. The children groaned as the burly man walked off, the road practically shaking from his weight, or that's what it felt like anyway. One of the children picked up a rock, clenched it tightly in his fist, then tossed it at him. The rock hit right in the back of the bearded man's head, another vein appearing where the rock'd just hit. He turned around, his face beat red as he shouted at them.
"Who did that!? You kids' 'er dead!"
Mako stood in front of the children with a big grin as they moved back, a rock in the palm of his hand as he tossed it and caught it.
"Yeah, that'd be me. Later fatso! Run guys!"
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:50 pm
Tsuzuki nodded, eyes filled with interest, "I would love to hear what your home town is like! I may as well travel there one day so it'd be good to hear about it from someone who's lived there."
She grinned as she thought of her own adventures, "I'd also love to tell you about myself. After you're done, of coarse."
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