It was mid-day in the large city of Ba Sing Se, the streets were alive with traffic of people walking to and from the market. Kairu was working at Pa Fao Ling's pottery shop, carving designs into various pots and vases with his finger. He was the only one he knew that could use earthbending in such an artistic way. When he finished the vase he was working on, he handed it to the lady at the counter. "Here you go Teela. All finished."
The woman smiled as she looked at the vase and put a few coins on the counter. "Thank you, Kairu. It looks wonderful! Be sure to tell your mother I said hello and don't forget the tea party next week."
Kairu nodded. "Don't worry, I will." This was Kairu's second job, his other one was working his family's in, where they also lived. He was running the shop alon today, Master Ling having gone on a delivery run outside the city, so Kairu was incharge. Business had been slow today, as it usually was in the middle of the week, so Kairu had everything in hand and would probably close shop early so he could start working early on his own things.
As Kairu closed up and walked from the pottery shop to get a few hours for himself to do his own things before having to go help his, his friend Jeylin walked up beside him. "You know, Jiro is looking for a new hand to do carvings on tiles. Heard it told he's offering three marks gold per tile for a quick and sturdy hand. You could earn enough in a month to open up your own business, or buy his. You know Fao'ling has been giving looks at ya. She may ignore any guy that pays her attention, but everytime you walk by her she turns her head at you."
Kairu shook his head. Jeylin, who had been one of his closest friends since coming to Ba Sing Se, was always trying to get him to settle down live like normal people. Jeylin was a year younger, but already a wife and daughter and another on the way as he worked as one of the city's guards. "Enough, Jeylin," Kairu said, holding up a hand. "No one knows what the future may bring, but for now, I am not looking to settle down."
Jeylin brushed a hand through his hair. "Well you can't just stay stranded at the same old job until all your best years pass you buy. Even I won't be here forever. As soon as we save enough money, me and the family are going to travel the world. You should do the same. Maybe even come with us."
From the stringent vibrations through his words, Kairu could tell Jeylin was slightly irritated. But he was only half listening and didn't respond. He was more focused on the the footsteps that had been following them at a distance. From the subsequent vibration and the slight hastening of light steps he knew to be of the same people following for the past hour. Not really liking being stalked after, Kairu worked up a little dust and put up a dense fog of earth to sting their eyes a little before turning a few corners to lose them.
"What was that all about?" Jeylin asked. Kairu brushed a hand through his hair. "We were being followed. I do not care for being stalked." He looked behind him and saw no sign of the two medium built men.
Jeylin shook his head. "You still irk me with how you do stuff like that. Knowing who's where without even looking. Doubt I'll ever get used to it." Kairu chuckled a bit. "Well, I had a great teacher. Just gotta pay attention to the little things." Not wanting to risk running into whoever those people were again, Kairu decided to head home. "Well, I think I am going to head home. Help my parents with the mid-day rush."
Jeylin gave Kairu a small nudge as they approached the community square. "Well, you be careful. And please try to stay away from that tea shop." Kairu gave him a non-commital nod and grunt before they parted ways and Kairu headed to the Burrowing Vine Inn.
When Kairu entered the inn, his home, his mother gave him a surprised smile. "Kairu! You're home early. Slow day at the shop?" Kairu nodded as he grabbed a basket of fruit to take to the kitchen. "Well, if you don't mind, Ruru," which was what his mother called him, and Toph too, when she was teasing him, "We need some more tea. Master Iroh said he would have the leaves and everything ready today. Could you go pick it up for me?"
Kairu nodded. "Yes, Mother. I'll try to be home before dinner." She nodded and Kairu walked from the inn. As Kairu was walking to the Jasmine Dragon, he ran into Kirana, a girl he trained Earthbending with a few times a week. She was pretty, but she blinked way too much. Rather it was just some wierd twitch or she did it to look flirty, Kairu had no clue. He suspected it was the latter, cause when she was angry or concentrating, she hardly blinked at all.
"Hey Kairu!" Kirana said in a cheerful tone. "That was quite a funny stunt you pulled on Jozai yesterday, using the dirt in his boots to make him dance all funny like. That should teach him to trip and bully new kids. And oh my spirits, you'll never believe what Fao'ling said in the dressing room after class. I think she has a crush on you. But you seem to not be into her like all the other boys. She's sweet and all, but awfully narsacistic. I think it's cool that you ignore her most of the time. She could use some humbling, I think. Oh and did you hear about Steffy and Koldin?" And on and and on she went, talking faster than the wind blew. Kairu was barely able to filter out her words at first, but towards the end he decided to concentrate and let all his bending go. Now he was totally def.
It was now instinct for Kairu to use the vibration from the ground and air to hear. After Toph taught him how to do it, and he adapted it to help him hear, in a few months, it became a part of him to where he was always bending the dust particles in the air without even trying. Now, he had to concentrate just to stop doing it. He just nodded his head every so often as she rambled. But after a few minutes, he turned his hearing back on. "...And her parents caught him in her room and totally blew their tops."
Kairu chuckled despite himself. "Wow, Kirana. That is really pretty funny. Well, I really got to get going. I need to pick up some tea for my mother and I don't want to run late. I'll see you in class tomorrow. Bye!" She smiled and waved after him as he walked quickly now to the tea shop. When he finally arrived, he saw Iroh tending to a few customers. "Hey Master Iroh. How are you doing?"
Iroh turned to him and smiled. "Oh! Young Kairu. I must beg your pardon, but I have been so busy, I forgot to put the leaves and stems and roots in carts. I will load them for you shortly."
Kairu chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Master Iroh. I'll take care of it. Hey if you want, I can even come back tonight and help you close up."
The old man gace him a kind smile. "Oh, you are such a kind lad. But that won't be neccessary, my boy. I have some old friends coming over tonight, so I will have plenty of help. Your offer is most appreciated though." At the look on Kairu's face, Iroh added, "But, if you would like, and it is not too much of a burden to you, I could use a hand opening up in the morning. I suspect I will be up late tonight so I might be a bit tired in the morning."
Kairu beamed. He liked spending time with Iroh. He always had the most interesting stories and gave really good advice. "Sure thing, Master Iroh!" He then scurried to the back and loaded the small cart. When he got back to the inn with the supplies, he helped his mother put them away. Then soon after they finished, one of the men who had been following him that day entered the inn. "Excuse me, but I am new in Ba Sing Se, and was told I could find a good guide here to help me find my old friend's tea shop. Would your name be Kairu by any chance?"
Kairu showed no emotion as he spoke. "Um. Sure. If it's in the city, I know where it is. I would be glad to show you." He then turned to his mother, a slight look of concern on his face. "I just need to show this guy to one place, but it might be far and I might be late getting back." The man smiled as Kairu followed him out of the inn, mentioning a tea shop called the Jade Flower, which was a good ways away towards the center of the city. When they were a few yards away from the inn, Kairu felt the second man start following from the alleyway beside the inn. Kairu knew both men were trouble, but he didn't want to put his family in danger.
As they walked towards the center of the large city, Kairu carried on like it was nothing out of the ordinary. "Yes sir. I have been there a few times. They make a good peaceroot and Jasmine-rose tea."
The man nodded. "Indeed. It is very good for curing the cold shakes as well. There is much to enjoy in almost any cup of tea, I think." Kairu agreed. He almost felt bad for baiting him and his companion, the man seemed quite personable. They carried on with idol conversation as they walked, the streets getting more and more empty as everyone else was headed in for the night.
When they turned down the next street, there was no one else in sight. Kairu felt the man's steps slow a bit and his posture stiffened a little. The man was getting ready to jump. "So is your friend just going to keep following us?" The man looked at Kairu in surprise. "Um, what?" he asked. Kairu grunted slightly. "Your friend who's been following us. Is he just going to keep stalking us or is he going to help you kidnap me?"
The man then lunged to grab Kairu, but in the blink of an eye a cloud of dust went up and Kairu seemed to vanish. Another cloud appeared behind the man and Kairu was suddenly there, giving the man a swift kick in the rear. The man stumbled forward a few steps but when he turned around, Kairu was gone again in a puff of dust. Kairu then reappeared again behind and moved the earth under his own feet to swiftly dodge the man's back-hand swing. When the other man arrived running, he pulled a small staff from his back and swung it at Kairu, but Kairu moved and shifted the earth beneath the other man's feet, making him hit the first man in the back with his staff.
Everything seemed to be going his way, him seeming to disappear into thin air and reappearing likewise, making the two guys fumble around and hit each other instead of him. But suddenly, when he tried his vanishing trick again, he was caught when the younger of the two bended the earth, catching Kairu with half his body under ground when the puff of dust cleared. "That's a nice little trick, boy. I'll have to make you show it to me some time." Kairu grunted and struggled as the two men reached for him.