Violent Delights, ATLA

chapter twenty six, heads or tails (you choose)

26
HEADS OR TAILS (YOU CHOOSE)

A PAIR OF CUSTOMERS APPROACHED Iroh and offered him a promotion directly to the Upper Ring. It was the kind of offer you'd be stupid to turn down at all — they were handing him a new space in a new apartment and his own tea shop where he could come up with its own name. The poor tea shop owner tried to win Iroh over with made-up promotions to assistant manager but was ultimately defeated as he accepted the offer wholeheartedly.

"This is amazing news, Uncle Iroh!" San congratulated, the warm glow of the fluorescent lights above reflecting their joyous moods perfectly. "It's the perfect beginning to a brand new start."

"Exactly." Iroh beamed before waving to his nephew. "Zuko! Did you hear the good news?"

"I'll try to contain my joy." San wasn't surprised to hear the lack of enthusiasm in his undertone as he set the tray of tea aside and walked out. Concerned, she followed after him.

"...Would you like to tell me what's up?"

"Nothing." He himself knew he wasn't very convincing and upon being at the receiving end of her scrutinising gaze, he sighed. "I can't help but feel like something's missing. Don't take it the wrong way- I mean, it's just... pretending to be someone else, having to be Lee, is something I'm not quite used to."

"Starting over a new leaf is not easy for anyone, Zuko." She said, leaning against the wall beside him. "A wise man once said 'let what happened in the past go because your beginnings do not define who you are as a whole, but it's the rest of your story and who you choose to be that does.'"

"Those words are from Uncle, right?"

"Bingo!"

Zuko chuckled, finding her reaction cute. Then he took her hand and left a fleeting kiss on her knuckles. "With you by my side, I believe I can do anything."

A blustery wind sent flurries of paper whirling across the skies, dozens of them fluttering down like rain drops. A couple just so happened to land nearby where they were and Zuko picked it up. What he saw made his eyes almost pop out of its sockets as his grip on the paper tightened. San peeked over his shoulders and scanned the contents.

"Appa is missing?" She gasped. "How?"

"It doesn't matter how." Zuko kicked away from the wall and stepped backwards to see what was going on. His suspicions were proven veracious — Aang flew across the skies on his wing glider, distributing the Missing Appa papers.

"So they're in Ba Sing Se too? What a coincidence." She thought out loud. 'But what could they be here for?'

She glanced at Zuko and noticed his conflicted expression. Reassuringly, she placed her warm hand over his. In spite of her words of wisdom earlier, the knowledge of the Avatar being right here so close could spring up his desire to capture him again. She desperately hoped that wouldn't be the case.

"How about the Jasmine Dragon?" Iroh spoke out ideas for the name of his new tea shop as he packed his outfits, preparing to move out. "It's dramatic, poetic, and has a nice ring to it."

"I think it sounds perfect," said San, tidying up the place so it'll look just as new when they leave.

Zuko whipped out the flyer he grabbed earlier from his pocket and practically shoved it in his uncle's face. "The Avatar's here in Ba Sing Se and he's lost his bison."