Year of the Dragon [ Second Gen ]

Ren had already taken a dumpling and was savoring its delicious taste when he remembered Jie. He mumbled a thanks with his mouth full and carefully placed another dumpling on his hand. Nudging the platypus bear awake, he lowered his hand until it reached his pet's nose. Jie gave a quick sniff and sleepily widened his mouth and ate it, munching slowly. Ren chuckled and picked another dumpling, hungrily chewing it. He remembered Lee was sitting across the table and remembered to keep his manners, though he was a thief and scum on the street. Oh, well! he thought, carefree. As long as I'm not paying, I might as well enjoy it pleasantly.

---

Shi saw the platypus bear chew slowly, then swallowed. How intriguing. She had never seen such a wold thing eat from the palm of a human---not even in the circuses. It was a rare sight and Shi was glad to have witnessed it. However, she had other things to think about. Her time was shortening, and she would need a good excuse for why she was out so late. She might even get whipped. Remembering the landlord's favorite boy, Yan, her insides curled and her face darkened. For some reason, even the thought of the boy made her angry and reckless. The plans for taking the platypus bear was quite clear in her mind, and she was very tempted to get her hands on him.

Raizo watched the cub chew on the dumpling, and couldn't help the small smile that quirked at the corners of his lips. It really was a cute little thing. He remembered when Seze was that young, although her charm was significantly disrupted by the fact that she was a complete terror at that age.

Without looking over, he kept half of his attention on the girl. Her interest in the platypus bear was starting to seem a little odd.

Ren thought Lee had been joking when he said that the dumplings were a special, for he had had many dumplings in the past. But he wasn't lying. These were exceptionally good dumplings. Jie seemed to have liked them, though Ren didn't notice his reaction. The thought of finally having something so delicious enter his mouth made him drop his guard. If only Tenki was here to eat them, too, he thought sadly, referring to his older brother who died in the Fire Nation army. He was about five years older than Ren and wouldn't back down when a certain rebellion was rising. Of course, it was solved, but at a great price. That was one reason why Ren didn't like the Fire Nation's army, or regular citizens living so pompously and notoriously in their big houses. For a moment, he was lost in his own history...

Jie was asleep again. The day had been slightly tiring, and Lee didn't interest him anymore.

---

Shi saw Ren's back slightly droop, and thought that he might be a little tired. But there was Lee to tend to. She noticed he had half his attention on her, and the other half was on the bear. With a swift turn of her head and a soft but graceful, "Humph!", she turned her attention to an open window. Or so it seemed she was looking at the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the rising and falling of the platypus bear's back. How peaceful. Soon, I'll have that peace. I'll be free!

Had Raizo been able to see what Ren was thinking, he would have asked for the whole story. That kind of thing was exactly what he was looking for, when he escaped from the watchful eye of the royal guard. He wanted to know what the world was really like, and how the people felt, the people he would one day rule over. The people he was supposed to rule over, anyway. How he was expected to take over his father's legacy without the true insight and sense of self that Zuko managed to obtain after years spent outside of the Fire Nation's borders, Raizo would never understand. The thought kept him up at night.

The girl had turned away. Raizo wondered just what she was thinking. He focused on his tea.

Shi noticed Lee's gaze had switched from her and the cub to his tea. She would be able to do this. After all, being a dancer has it's advantages. Everyday, she had practiced to dance nimbly, flexibly, with a flowing grace of sleeves, feet, smiles, and the occasionally singing. However, she would use it today to escape her harsh life. No more scars on her backs! No more standing up for worthless servants who cower before the stupid fat man! She let a quick smirk across her face, then wiped it clean again. Ducking under the table, she crept up behind Ren's chair, safely hidden from the view of Lee. In her movement, she hadn't let a single sound slip out and had tucked in all the excess folds of clothing under her. The bear was just a finger's reach from where she knelt. She'd be able to do it. Her eyes gleamed.

It only took her a quiet second to take the sleeping cub. he hadn't stirred, so she guessed he was pretty far away from consciousness. He was slightly heavy, but that was what the basket was for. She made sure the animal didn't squash all the things she bought and laid the blanket over him, hiding him from view. She went for the door, her quick steps soundless, or so she hoped.

She made it about two steps out the door -- that way, there would be less of a fuss. But that's when Raizo's hand closed around her wrist.

"That doesn't belong to you."

Ren snapped out of his little history lesson. Lee seemed to have leaped out of his chair or something, and when he looked down beside his chair, Jie was nowhere to be seen. But he saw Lee grab the girl's wrist and his eyes darted to her basket, where the lump seemed to be pretty big. Ren mentally punched himself. He should have kept an eye on his pal! He darted over to Lee and glared at the girl, who was about their height, so she was about their age.

"Give him back," he growled.

---

Shi was just about to get to the door---Someone's hand was around her wrist! Instinctively, she tried to twist her hand free, but didn't succeed. She looked the boy's over. They were slightly shorter than she was, about a fourth a head shorter than herself. Grinding her teeth, she pulled her wrist back.

"What's not mine? I didn't steal," she spat back. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way. My cook is expecting these ingredients." Her eyes blazed with fierce (fake) determination.

"Your ingredients are snoring," Raizo answered, his voice calm.

"And it seems that blanket is moving up and down..." added Ren. For someone to steal his companion! How absurd! What was happening to him, while Jie was going to get packed to... I don't know, but it'd be bad! he thought furiously. "Give him back." His voice was very cold. It didn't surprise him, since this was Jie he was trying to get back.

---

Shi had the grace to blush. She was so caught up in her plan, that she hadn't noticed the little sounds. Ideas flashed through her mind, and she didn't know which one was more successful. One thing that she knew would be good to use was her charm. All dancers needed charm, right? The make-up and clothes, helped. Quickly, in less than a minute, she came up with a good plan that even Ren had to go along with. Smiling slowly but seductively, with a tint of her little devil-isness in it, she blinked her eyes several times and tilted her head.

"My, I'm cornered..." she mumbled. "Here, let's go outside, first. I've something to say before I give back your little friend," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness. Even the landlord had a hard time to whip her when she had this look on her. Or, he had had a hard time not whipping her when she was like this. She infuriated her landlord quite a lot by using this plan.

Raizo couldn't help himself -- his cheeks colored pink, mostly because he couldn't believe what a brazen tactic she was using. While it undoubtedly worked on the landlord, there was a difference between the effect of lust on a middle-aged man when dealing with a beautiful young woman whom he believed he owned, and the effect of hormones on two strangers who were blatantly confronting her about stealing.

She was very pretty; Raizo couldn't deny that. But she was also carrying a stolen platypus bear cub, and he wasn't sure that Ren would keep his cool if the girl didn't give Jie back within the next ten seconds, and he didn't need the fuss.

"There's nothing that needs to be said. Just give back the cub and go on your way, and we can all forget this ever happened."

Ren gaped. He'd seen many female thieves using this tactic, but was never used on him. He looked away and folded his arms. There was no need to play this girl's game.

---

Shi sighed depressingly. "Oh, and I thought you wanted this bear back." She easily swung the basket from one hand to the other, holding it away from her. "You haven't even heard about what I was going to say. Just step outside with me and I'll... Er, make a deal with you, I guess. It's an easy one, I'm sure," she said. Then she winked and grinned. "You can hold onto my hand if you want," she added.

That's a good one, Ren thought.

Raizo's brow furrowed, very slightly.

"That's really not necessary. We don't want any trouble. Please give back the cub."

Shi shrugged. "C'mon, it's an easy deal," she insisted. "And I wouldn't want others listening in on it." She glanced around for emphasis. "It could deal your reputation a serious blow." She glanced around again. "If we go outside and hide in an alley, with you holding onto me, of course, no one would suspect a thing, and then we can forget this," she said.

This was getting troublesome. Raizo glanced at Ren; he wasn't sure what sort of skill the boy possessed, and he wasn't confident enough in his own abilities to simply make a grab for Jie all by himself. If his sister was here, she'd have no trouble running circles around this petty thief.

Ursula would know what to do. So would his father. Raizo could only look at Ren, waiting for him to decide how he wanted to proceed, and silently hating how uncertain he felt whenever conflict was involved.

Ren could feel Lee looking at him, and he finally risked a glance. Well, this thief's tactics were working... A little, he had to admit. Not too much to make him turn her loose, but enough to make him go through with whatever bargain or deal she wants to propose. Sighing, he turned his apologetic eyes to Lee.

"We'd only make a lot more of an episode here. Let's go outside..." he said grudgingly.

---

Did Shi hear right? She smiled appreciatively at the two of them.

Raizo nodded to Ren's acquiescence. Jie was his pet -- or rather, his companion, after all. Then he looked back at Shi, without a smile; he motioned for her to lead the way. They wouldn't be giving her much room to run.

Shi shrugged, but kept her smile and began to pull/lead them to the nearest alley, shadowed by the walls on either side. It was rather narrow, but she was already in. She turned around to face the two, hiding the basket behind her back. Her smile had thinned into a tight, grim grin. "Are you ready to go through with this? It's easy on your part, not so much mine," she said.

Ren had followed Shi and was instantly washed over with a feeling of going back home. Alleys were his favorite places.

"What is it?" Raizo asked, hoping to make this as quick and painless as possible for everyone involved, whatever it may be.

Shi smiled at Lee's acceptance. "Show me your face," she said quickly. "Then the bear will be returned. I'm sure Ren here is also excited and interested in your pretty little face." She smiled seductively again, looking him straight in the eyes.

Ren froze. Lee... He could see what's under his scarf. He could finally have a chance, but would he actually sacrifice his identity for his bear?

"Look, you don't have to do it, I'll get Jie back myself," Ren said under his breath.

Raizo's eyes widened involuntarily. His face? What did his face have to do with anything? Nothing, that's what. He glanced at Ren, appreciating the solidarity, but also not quite sure that the boy could get the cub back without incident.

"That's not a very fair trade," he murmured to the girl.

Shi looked exasperated. Just a peek! It was just a stupid peek! Personally, she'd have robbed them both of what they were worth, but a peek at his face--that's nothing! She lost her charm and glared at Lee.

"Hey, you should be glad I'm not taking all your money," she growled. "It's just a peek! I agree it isn't a fair trade, since this thing is quite valuable, and I should threaten for you two to buy him from me. Be glad I'm not doing that," she hissed. She put a hand on her waist and looked impatiently at Lee.

Ren nodded his head at both of what the two had said. It was hard not to disagree, for it was true that it wasn't a fair trade on both parts.

Raizo's eyes narrowed.

"There's no need for any of this to turn violent. Can't you see that you're outnumbered, at the very least? What is it you want with the cub?"

Shi shrugged. "Weeeeell," she said dangerously. "Seems like someone doesn't want to cooperate." She rummaged in her basket for a moment and took out a [s]bell pepper[/s] a sharp kind of stone. "Well, I don't really know what to do with this," she said lamely. "But I guess it'll be put to good use. It's just a stupid peek under that scarf! Besides, once this is over, we can forget about this whole incident, you have your platypus bear, and I can go home without any excuses this time." And hopefully no whipping... she added in her mind.

Ren inhaled sharply.

Raizo could feel heat spreading from his neck to his nose, and he knew that his cheeks must be flushed with frustration. Why did he have to get involved in this? He didn't know what he was doing when it came to things like this. Ursula was a better fighter than him; his father or his uncle would have had a diplomatic solution sorted in no time.

What would his uncle say? Probably that doing the right thing was more important than his game of make-believe. If he was lucky, they wouldn't recognize him. Otherwise... it had to end sometime.

"Fine," he answered finally. "Fine." And he reached up to hook his fingers in the edge of his scarf, sliding it reluctantly down his face.

It was Shi's turn to inhale sharply. Instantly, she fell onto her knees, shocked. Who was she talking to this whole time? None other than the prince of the Fire Nation! She didn't feel guilty, but was actually relieved to be free from her curiosity, but it would be bad for her, too. What if... What if he decided to lock her up? She felt fear enter her heart and even though she was older, she felt smaller, minuscule. She dropped the basket and pushed past the two, running towards the landlord's house. She could think of an excuse on the way home.

"What? What's wrong?" Ren muttered. "What did she see?" He leaned forward to take a look at Lee's face and stared in shock, then lowered his eyes as he realized who it was that stood there. He quickly knelt and bowed his head. "Uh, th-thanks, Your Highness, for treating me..." he mumbled.