Kuai and Zuko 2 [ON HIATUS]

Chapter 8: Since When Do You Wear My Mask?

*The following Friday*

Toph and the gaang (excluding Zuko) left Yu Dao after the elections to go on Avatar Yangchen's Festival. Kuai gathered her few belongings and went to help with Reconstruction.

She walked into the building that had a sign on it saying 'Volunteer Housing.' It was like a dormitory. But much less cared for. She found someone slightly older than her.

Kuai: Um...ma'am? I was wondering if you knew where a front-desk-kind-of-person would be?

Woman: You mean me? I'm the Reconstruction Officer in charge of Woman's Dormitories. You can call me Nivedita.

Kuai: What a lovely name!

Nivedita: Thank you. What's your name, dear?

Kuai: My name is Kuai.

Nivedita: I should direct you to your dorm. You share it with two other young ladies.

Kuai: Thank you.

(Note: Nivedita, in Avatar World, means 'one who serves,' and Kuai means 'quick, fast, and clever' in Chinese. I chose their names to describe their personalities).

Nivedita had Kuai follow her up a nearby staircase towards a hallway with a lot of doors. Nivedita stopped in front of one.

Nivedita: This is your dorm, Kuai. It may be small, but it'll do. I'm almost always in the lobby if you need me.

Kuai: Thank you so much.

Nivedita went back the way she came and Kuai opened the door to the dorm and walked in, closing it behind her. She looked andfound an empty bed against the wall, with two others beside it. One girl was sleeping soundly, and another must have been in the bathroom or something. Her bed was unmade and the surroundings cluttered. 

Kuai: Greeeaaaatt.

Kuai set up her things at her portion of the small room as the other girl came through the door. Kuai couldn't believe her eyes. Nivedita said 'young ladies' and by that she meant young.

Girl: Hello, my name is TuoYan, and that sleepyhead is JiaLi.

Kuai: Hi, I'm Kuai. How old are you two?

TuoYan: I'm 13 and JiaLi is 11. We're sisters.

Kuai: Wow, you two are young.

TuoYan: I guess. How old are you?

Kuai: I'm 20 years old.

TuoYan: That's kind of funny, 'cause the missing water princess turned 20 about 3 days ago.

Kuai: Missing Water Princess?

TuoYan: Yeah, we're from the Northern Water Tribe. Our princess was kidnapped during the 100 Year War. Most people think she died because she never came back after war prisoners were released.

Kuai: Oh...*turns head away* That sounds horrible.

TuoYan: Her name was Kuai...just like you.

Kuai: Wow, what a coincidence. (she's avoiding telling TuoYan the truth) How did children like you get to Yu Dao?

TuoYan: Oh, our parents couldn't afford the taxes up there anymore. So after the war we moved out here. Our father fell ill and died, and our mother left us here to fend for ourselves.

JiaLi: *yawns* It sounds worse than it is.

TuoYan: You're awake?

JiaLi: I have been since you called me a sleepyhead.