Runaways

Chapter 3

"What's next on the list?" Azula asked, but realized she was talking into the wind, "Kiyi, what are you looking at?"

"Is it always this noisy?"

"It's the town square, so yes." Azula shoved her way through a particularly dense crowd, "Now, come on, your culinary adventures yesterday are the reason we're out of everything."

"It would be a lot nicer here if the musicians could all play the same song." Kiyi followed, lugging their bags.

"If you'd gotten up at dawn when I told you, we would have stolen everything we need by now. Next on the list?"

"Tomato-carrots. And I told you I didn't want to steal from anyone..." Kiyi's sheepish look annoyed Azula to no end.

"Then I suppose you worked for that money you have?"

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you think. It's from Zuko, for birthdays and such..."

Azula didn't really feel like she had enough energy to waste it on explaining why Kiyi was wrong.

"Anyway, only other thing we need is rice, but we passed it all the way back there." Kiyi folded their list and put it away, happy that she was finally included in ordinary chores.

"Well, you're distracting me with that ridiculous outfit." Azula turned around to look at her.

"You mean the summer dress?" Kiyi spun around to make her dress twirl, "I think it's pretty. It was the only fun thing in the closet."

"Must have been there when I moved in." Azula looked around before continuing, "I can't believe I let you come in that thing. The whole point is for us to not draw attention to ourselves."

"It'll be fine... I'll go get the rice." Kiyi said and started splitting the money in two. She offered to cover the expenses of today when Azula told her the alternative was stealing. "Actually, I think you should dress like this too. Do you think anyone ever saw a pretty girl in a summer dress and immediately thought wanted war criminal?"

"Just go and try to be as mundane as possible." Azula ordered and Kiyi nodded, but as soon as she turned, Azula could see she was already grinning like a crazy person, looking around in amazement at ordinary things.

She could swear, if anything was going to get her caught, it was that girl.

Azula had no problem with her purchase, she's done it a million times, and no one ever gave her a second look. There was, however, a bit of a line in front of the stand, so she took longer than expected. Kiyi should have already been done by then, but she wasn't waiting for her where they agreed to meet.

After a few minutes, Azula realized she was too inpatient to wait and simply started looking for the girl. As soon as she got close to where Kiyi was supposed to be, she noticed a crowd of people dancing in the middle of the street, to the music of a few flutes, lutes and a tsungi horn all playing in unison.

If Azula wasn't already sure Kiyi had something to do with this sudden change in atmosphere, she would have been when she spotted her half-sister spinning in the middle of a dance circle. She thought about calling for her, but that would draw even more attention than this stupidity already has.

Azula started slowly making her way through the crowd as more and more people seemed to be joining the fun. Then she suddenly crashed into someone and fell, dropping her bag.

"I am so sorry... Are you alright?" Azula saw a hand reaching out for her. It didn't take her long to notice that hand was attached to a young man holding a lute.

"Don't worry about it." She ignored the offered help and stood up on her own, before dusting herself off.

"This yours?" the man asked, bending down and handing her the bag of vegetables back. While taking it, Azula accidentally made eye contact, something you didn't want to do if the person wasn't supposed to remember your face. And if the person's smile proved to be distracting.