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Chaper 4: Kindness and fruit

The sun rises with beams of pleasant warmth. I lay there for a few minutes basking in how the light comes in just right to the tiny cave, if you could even call it that. It's only after a while I can feel the knawing pain of my stomach. I haven't eaten in days.

I take the time to get up gently and crawl out, my plan was to follow Korra today and wait a while longer before getting food, I'm used to minimal meals but this time I might actually make the effort to take care of myself.

I swim my way over back to the mainland to go back towards the warehouse I slept in the other night, that area of town was close to the market and I want to try that place first. I'm able to use the water as a kind of quick bath to get the dirt off of me. The people wouldn't appreciate someone who's filthy and I really don't want to be picked out in a crowd. I also smell terrible and at the very least I'd like to keep a decent hygiene. I never know when I could bump into someone important.

It takes a few blocks to make my way from the warehouse to the market, it's the easiest route I remember to get there, when I do I walk down the street looking at the many fruit and meat stands. It's just now that I realize I could have gone to the garden at the temple and probably could have found something. No, the chances of me being spotted by the many monks tending to it is too high, it's broad daylight and if I did take anything they might have gone searching for an intruder or thief. They may be monks but they are nearly religious with their gardens, I'll just have to find something around here.

I have no money and this part of the market is full of too many gentle eyed people. They seem very kind and I hear many spoken pleasantries between the customers and stand owners. It would be wrong to pickpocket any of the nice people here, even if I could use the money. It's then when down the street I see a large man arguing with a kind old lady with some fruit and fruit based pastries. He isn't fat, just big. "How dare you charge me for this garbage! " He holds a pastry with a large bite taken out of it and waves it in her face. "I expect to get food that actually tastes good when I buy it! There's too much filling for this to be a pie! " He throws it at the ground and it makes a mess"Now give me my money back! "

She gives an apologetic smile"I'm sorry sir but you already bought it, I promise I've been making these for years. you've done this for weeks, I can't give you a refund." He gets even more angry at her refusal. At this point I've already decided to give him some karma.

He continues to shout at her and she still gives and apologetic smile, I kick up the pastry and use small dirt particles to shove it into his mouth, while I'm doing so I notice his pouch of coins on his side, he fumbles with his face and I grab it before hiding it underneath my shirt and pants. He turns away and spits it out, now not only having his 'disgusting' pastry but dirt in his mouth. He has no problem spiting it out but his face is now covered in the filling, it stains his shirt as well. He glares and looks around to the crowd but he doesn't pick anyone out, he grunts as he turns to the lady, huffs, and walks away.

The old woman gives a sigh of relief and sits back down. I start walking away before I hear a voice"Hey you, sir" I stop and look towards her"Yes you, could you please come here? "I start to get nervous about if she's upset about me interfereing in some way. " Please, I really mean no harm." I walk up to her and she gives me a smile"Thank you, I know it was you who gave such a show to that other customer, I wanted to thank you for helping me."

"It's no problem, I'm sorry if you lost him as a buyer because of me."

"Nonsense, he's been here every week demanding me to refund him for the same thing. He says it tastes worse or because of any other reason he can come up with. I'd be happy to not deal with him all the time. "

I smile at her comment"I'm glad I could be helpful to you. "

"Please, let me pay you back."

I try to tell her no but she has already reached over to another side of the stall and picked up something cloth wrapped. "Here" She unfolds it to reveal a loaf of bread that's still warm and steaming. She also grabs a few of the filled pastaries and ads them into the bundle.

"Really ma'am, this is too much, I can't take this" I say frantically in an attempt to stop her.

"Oh now hush, you look thin as a stick, I may have bad eyes but I can still tell when someone is hungry. You have been wandering up and down the street for ages looking but never buying anything, I won't let you starve. "

She stops after 3 and wraps it back up"This is my pumpkin bread recipe I've had for years like my mother before me, please take it. "She takes my hands and places the medium bundle in them, then gives me one more on top. I'm shocked to say the least, this woman is willing to just give me food for no reason. It's a kindness I've never known anyone to give, how could someone be so sweet without asking for anything in return?

" There has to be something you want back, a form of payment. I can't take this without buying it somehow"I go to reach it back out to her and she pushes my hands to me again"No dearie, no payment. Take it as a thank you, you need it."

I can't help but stare at it and tear up, how could someone be so nice and kind to a stranger, a random stranger who did nothing to get it? This can't be real there's no way some people are really nice for the point of it.

"If you really do want to pay me, then do it by having a nice day and repaying the favor to someone else, take it as a sign of gratitude." I look up at her and a tear falls. I can only manage a broken and quiet "Thank you"

"And one more thing"
She continues by having a small scowl and waving her finger at me
"No more pick pocketing, I saw what you did, I know you may need it and they deserved it but it was mean. Don't do that again you hear me? " I feel myself give a small smile"yes ma'am"
"Promise? "
It makes me smile wide this time, maybe there is a hope to change my future and keep it this way, with people as nice and kind as this"
"Promise"
"Now run along, and have a nice day dearie"

I turn away and walk off with the bundle, I eventually pick up the fruit pie on top and take a bite. That man was lieing, this is the best pastry I've ever tasted.

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Hello, I know it's been ages since I've updated this story and I do still plan to continue it. With Netflix putting the show on today I'm able to get the details and events I need for this story. You will find most likely in the next chapter that there are going to be some minor changes to the story and events in the show, the large events and decisions of the characters will stay the same but I will add my own details in for ease of putting in the character and making him fit into the story. I can't tell you when to expect the next chapter but I hope to get it out sooner than the space between who's one and the next. Sorry for it being so short. There will be more story I  the next chapter.

See all of you later! Thank you for reading.