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Chapter 26: Tales of Ba Sing Se

The Tale of Asami

A few days has past since Jet attacked us at the tea shop. Luckily the drama has settled down quickly. The four of us were back to work as quickly as well. Like today, I was wearing a dark green dress, with a red rose pattern around my waist, along with dark green fingerless long sleeve gloves. The tea shop was for once quiet. As I was busy cleaning a table, Zuko walked over to me and took the empty cups from me. He winked at me before taking the cups to the kitchen to get watched. I blushed slightly with a smile before I continued cleaning the table.

Everything was going so well, until a familiar voice spoke. "Asami? Is that you?" I quickly looked up from the table before turning around. Behind me, stood the Avatar, my little brother, "Aang." I said softly in surprise with my eyes slightly wide. "It is you!" Aang exclaimed excitedly and was about to enter the tea shop when I shushed him shook my head. My little brother frowned at me in confusion, but stayed still at the door. I quickly looked around me, making sure neither Zuko or Iroh saw me, or mostly Aang, before going over to my brother.

Aang smiled brightly when I got near him and tuckled me into a tight hug. "It's great to see you Asami!" He exclaimed as he hugged as tight as possible. I couldn't help but laugh before wrapping my arms around him and hugged my little brother back. "It's great to see you too Aang." I said in the hug before pulling away with a smile. Aang smiled brightly up to me, before his smile slowly turned into a frown. "Wait a minute... If you are here, then that means..." He started off saying before his mouth fell open in shock when he looked back in the tea shop.

I looked back in as well and sighed in slight frustration. Both Zuko and Iroh were walking around, pouring and serving tea to the few customers in the tea shop. And of coarse they were in clear view for my little Avatar brother. "They are both here!?!" Aang cried out in shock before he got shushed by me. "Not so loud!" I exclaimed quietly at him as I look around us to make sure nobody heard him. "What are they doing here?" Aang asked him once I sighed in relief when I saw nobody heard him. "They're working." I said with a 'duh' tone.

Aang looked to me with a not impressed expression before speaking with his arms crossed. "I meant here in Ba Sing Se." Not knowing what else to do, I sighed before motioning to him to follow me up to the roof. He nodded and used his airbending to get on top, while I went back inside. "Hey," I said gently as I took Zuko's arm to get his attention. "I'm taking a small break." "Okay, I'll cover for you." Zuko said with a smile. I smiled back before thanking him by kissing his cheek. Zuko kissed my cheek as well before he continued serving tea, while I went to the roof.

"So, how long has it been going on with you and Zuko?" Aang asked me the second I arrived on the roof. I looked to Aang in shock, while he looked to me blankly. "How did you-" "Just because I'm a kid doesn't mean I'm stupid Asami." He said turned to face me more clearly as he sat on the roof's edge crossed leg. "I saw how worried you were when Zuko and Azula fought against each other." I mentally kicked myself as I realized I gave ourselves away, before chuckling in amusement when I heard my brother's next words. "And let's not forget Zuko's whole "I choose you; I love you; I don't need honor if I don't have you in my life", scene."

"Yeah," I chuckled in slight amusement sitting down. "I guess our relationship isn't a secret anymore." I said, making Aang shake his head no, while smiling in amusement. But my smile soon fell when realized what it meant before looking to my little brother with slight worried eyes. "How do you and the others feel about it?" I asked him, both wanting the know the truth, as well as not knowing the truth. Whatever answer I get know, will most definetly have a huge impact. Aang shrugged slightly before answering. "Sokka and Katara are convinced that you've been brainwashed. Toph doesn't care as long as Zuko doesn't hurt you." "And you... how do you feel?" I asked worriedly.

Aang silent for a moment before asking me, "Are you happy?" I stayed quiet for a moment or two before I smiled brightly at him. "Yeah... I'm very happy." Aang then smiled brightly back as well. "That's I needed to hear!" He said cheerfully before using his airbending to move himself from the roof top edge to sit next to me. "Now, tell me how all this happened! And leave out a single detail!" He said excitedly as he stared at me with wide, sparkly, cheerful eyes, making me chuckle in amusement before I started telling my and Zuko's story.

Once I finished the story, Aang "awed" and gave me a goofy smile. I chuckle at him, but my smile soon well when Aang looked to me in worry. "Asami... As much as I don't want to be a Debby downer, but you do realize that the chances are high that if Zuko sees me again, he's going to try and capture me again." I sighed at my little brother's words before smiling a half smile. "Don't worry... I'm working on it." My brother looked to me with uncertainty before sighing and smiling slightly back to me. My smile brightened slightly before I spoke.

"Now I have been talking about myself this whole time! Now it is your turn!" I said with a bright smile. "What are you doing in Ba Sing Se?" Aang's smile immediately fell, making me frown in worry.  "Appa's missing." "WHAT!?!" I cried out in shock when I heard my brother's words, but just nodded sadly before he continued speaking. "We came to Ba Sing Se to look for him, as well as to speak with the Earth King." "Why do you need to speak with the Earth King?" I asked him as I frowned at him in confusion. "We found a way to defeat the Fire Nation before Sozin's Comet." My eyes widen in surprise at his answer before speaking again. "You have?! How?"

"What do you know about the Black Sun?"

***

The Tale of Zuko

*Zuko's P.O.V.*

It's been a few days since the whole Jet incident. Everything was going well until a brunette girl around my and Asami's age and her hair braided in two braids came in. With the way she looked at me and spoke, it only meant one thing... She knows we're Fire Nation. As if Jet wasn't enough, now we have a Earth Kingdom girl now as well! After serving one of the other customers their tea, I looked over my shoulder and saw the girl staring at me. I quickly picked my tray up and went over to my uncle to warn him, while he was on a ladder, busy stacking items again on the top shelf.

"Uncle, we have a problem." I said to him as he climbed down the ladder. As he climbed down, Kai, who was sitting on Iroh's shoulder, yipped when he saw me and jumped over to my shoulder. I smiled slightly at fire ferret and quickly petted behind his ear before I continued speaking to my uncle. "One of the customers is on to us. Don't look now, but there is a girl over there at the corner table." I said as I motioned with my head behind me. "She knows we're Fire Nation." The second I finished talking, both Kai and my uncle looked to the corner table where the girl was sitting. "Didn't I say don't look?!" I exclaimed as I grabbed his arm and pulled him to face away, while I grabbed Kai from my shoulder and held him in front of me.

"You're right Zuko." Iroh whispered to me with an amused smile as Kai climbed back up to my shoulder. "I've seen that girl in here quite a lot. Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you." He added in amusement, making look to him in bewildment. "What?!" I exclaimed in shocked. Asami is going to kill me. I thought to myself. Before I could say anything else, a voice spoke behind us. "Thank you for the tea." Both Uncle Iroh and I turned around and saw the very girl we were talking about. She was just standing there, smiling, and her hand open with some coins.

Knowing that coins were payment for the tea, I quickly took the coins from her before putting them away. "What's your name?" She asked me as I put the money away. I looked over for help, but he just shrugged before he chuckled softly in amusement, along with Kai, making me shoot a glare at him and the fire ferret before I turned around to face the girl. I opened my mouth to answer her, when Asami walked over to us with a tray full of empty cups. When my uncle spotted her with the full tray, he immediately walked over to assist her.

"Let me help you out there my dear As- Emiko!" Uncle Iroh said to Asami, almost saying her actual name before taking the tray from her. Asami smiled gratefully to him before walking over to me with a bright smile. "There's my boys!" She said as she took Kai from me and hugged him. "I was wondering where you were." She said to him before placing a kiss on his head and placed him onto her shoulder before looking to me. "I'm going to use my break to go to the shops. Do you need anything?" Asami asked me with a kind smile, which I returned as I took her hand in mine.

"Nah, I'm good. Just be careful out there." I said as I squeezed her hand in mine. Asami smiled brightly to me, before going on the tip of her toes and kissed me on the lips. "I always am!" She said cheakily, pecking my lips one last time before she and Kai left the tea shop, before calling over her shoulder, "See you later Lee!" I watched her leave the shop with a chcukle and a smile before Uncle Iroh cleared his throat at me. My eyes moved to him as I frowned at him in confusion, but he motioned to the front of me. Still frowning, I looked in front of me, and there still stood the girl, shuffling uncomfortable on her feet.

"Oh! Sorry about that!" I said and scratched behind my neck with a slight blush. "That's okay." She said with a slight smile before looking to where Asami went out. "How long have you guys been together?" She asked with a kind smile. "More than six months I think." I answered before looking to my uncle for confirmation. Uncle Iroh stood still for a moment before doing the math in his head and then nodded. "Yes, it will be seven months soon." He said as he walked to the washbay with the tray of empty cups.

"Wow, that's a long time!" She said with a surprised smile. "If you ever plan to ask her the big question, I recomment at the Firelight Fountain. The lamps make the water sparkle and reflect in the pool in the most beautiful way." She said with a bright smile. Her suggestion caught me by surprise, but I soon smiled back. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." I said with a slight smile. "Great! Oh names Jin by the way! If you ever need any more advice, feel free to ask." She, Jin, said with a bright smile, before leaving the tea shop.

Once Jin was out of the shop, I stood there in thought for a moment before to Uncle Iroh with a smile. "I think I'm going to take my girl out for a date tonight." Iroh's face immediately brightened at my words, and it almost looked like he was about to jump up and down in excitement, making me chuckle.

***

"Zuko, what's this?" Asami asked me as walked over to me with a smile as she showed me the dress I laid down on our bed. It was a black and dark green dress with flower patterns all over. It was half sleeved and had a slit on the side. "It is a dress." I answered her in amusement, making her roll her eyes with a laugh. "I know it is a dress! I'm asking do I have a new dress?" She asked as she held the dress in front of her and examed herself in the mirror. "I thought you maybe wanted to wear something pretty for our date tonight." I said with a smile and a shrug.

"Date? You're taking me out on a date?" Asami asked me with an excited smile. "Yes, I am!" I answered her with my own bright smile and kissed her on the lips. "Go get ready. I'm taking you at sundown." Asami quickly jumped in excitement before going to the bathroom to get ready. I laughed to myself at her excitement before going to my cupboard to get my clothes ready for the date as well. As I took my clothes out, Iroh came into the room with a big excited smile. "You are going to ask her, aren't you?" He asked me excitedly. I quickly shushed him before looking worriedly to the bathroom, but Uncle Iroh just continued squealing in excitement. "Let me do your hair!"

"No!"

***

Sunrise finally came, and my uncle some how got it right to combe my hair. My hair was so flat on my head, it looked like as if Kai licked it flat. When Asami came out of the bathroom, she had light make up on, and her hair was loose in wavy curls. The second I saw her, I lost my breath in awe. "Looking beautiful my dear Asami!" Iroh said with a bright, fatherly smile. Asami blushed and thanked him before her eyes moved over to me. The second she saw my hairstyle, she immediately bursted out in laughter. "Well don't you look fancy!" She said as she continued laughing at me.

I rolled my eyes at her before walking over to her. "Come on, we got a date to get to." I said as I took Asami's hand in mine went out the door. Once we were outside, and the door was closed, Asami pulled us to a stop. She smiled brightly up to me before ruffling my hair. "Hey! It took uncle ten minutes to do my hair!" I complained, but I was secretly thankful that she did it. "Yeah, well it barely took me five seconds to destroy it!" She said with cheaky smile before pecking my lips. I huffed in amusement before pecking her lips again and started pulling her towards the direction of the restuarant.

***

We arrived at restuarant and ordered our food. I order myself spicy meatball and noodles, but it wasn't spicy enough for me though. Meanwhile, Asami got herself dumplings and noodles. We had a great time as we ate our food. As we ate our food, spoke about our day, while talking about other topics. "Wait a minute, you're telling people we were part of a traveling circus?!" Asami exclaimed before bursting out in laughter. "What's wrong with it?" I asked with a confused smile. "Everything!" Asami exclaimed as she continued laughing.

"Zu- I mean Lee! If you tell people you were in a circus, they are going to ask you what you did in the circus. And if you don't answer immediately, every body is going to asume you were a juggler, and you can't juggle to safe your life!" Asami said, making me gasp in disbelief. "I don't look like a juggler! and even if I do, I can juggle!" I defended myself like the hot-head I am."No, you can't." She stated as if it is a fact."Yes, I can!" I exclaimed, even more hot headed to prove her wrong. "Okay then ," Asami said picked some spices and other objects up from the table and handed them over to me. "Prove me wrong. Juggle them."

I looked with wide eyes at her before looking down at the items in my hands. I slowly looked back up, and saw Asami sitting there with her arms crossed and smirking winningly. Groaning in frustration, I put the items back down onto the table and shot my girlfriend a glafre. "Okay! You win!" I said as I crossed my arms in slight annoyance. "I can't juggle." I grumbled under my breath, making Asami giggle before she leaned over the table and offered me her hand. "Come on, you can't stay mad at me." She said with smile, waiting for me to take her hand in mine.

Seeing her smile at me so innocently and misciefly at the same time made it very hard for me to stay mad at her and continue glaring... and she knew it. Not able to help myself, I soon smiled and placed my hand in her. "Why is it so hard not to stay mad at you?" I asked her as I leaned over the table myself. "Because you love me too much!" Asami answered brightly, making chuckle as I nodded in agreement. "So true." I said with chuckle before leaning over the table to kiss her. Asami quickly leaned over closer as well and kissed me back just as lovingly as I did.

"Excuse me, sir." A waiter said to me after Asami and I pulled away from our kiss. "Would you and your girlfriend care for dessert?" I looked to Asami to ask her if she wanted dessert, but when I saw how bright and cheerfull her eyes got at the sound of "dessert", I immediately knew the answer. "Definetly." I answered with a chuckle, still looking to Asami, before looking to waiter. "Get us both lava chocolate cake and ice-cream." "Right away sir." The waiter said with a smile before going to the kitchen to give our order. "My favourite." Asami said as she looked to me in awe, making me smirk in pride. "I know."

***

"Where are we going now?" Asami asked with a laugh as I pulled her with me to over next stop. I was excited to show Asami the Firelight Fountain. I have seen the fountain myself before, and Jin was right, the lamps does make the water sparkle and reflect in the pool in the most beautiful way. And I wanted Asami to see that beauty before I ask her the biggest question of my life.

But when we were close enough to spot the fountain, I noticed that the candles were not lit. For a second a paniced, before I realize that I can use it to my advantage. Before Asami could see the fountain, I turned around and covered her eyes with my hands. "Hey!" Asami exclaimed in laughter, making me laugh as well. "What you are about to see is very beautiful. But you have to close your eyes for a few moments, because it is not done yet. No peaking!" I said to my girlfriend, making her laugh in amusement as she shook her head and closed her eyes with her hands.

Once knew her eyes were closed for sure, and that nobody was around, I took a deep breath. I immediately got into my firebending stance and started shooting small flames out of my pointer and middle fingers, and lit all the candles around and in the fountain. Once all the candles were lit, I smiled before walking over to Asami and gently placed my hands on her elbows and pulled her closer to the fountain. "Okay... Now you can look." I said with a smile. Asami excitedly removed her hands from her eyes and immediately gasped in awe. "Oh wow... Zuko, it's beautiful." She said as she stepped closer and stared at the Firelight Fountain in amazement.

"I knew you would like it." I said as I took her hand in mine and squeezed it gently. "I love it." Asami said, returning the squeeze without looking away from the fountain. But I wasn't staring at the fountain... I was staring at her. The Avatar's Protector, Asami from the Southern Air Temple, my girlfriend, the love of my life... the one I want to spend my whole life with.

Knowing it was time, I took a deep encouraging breath before turning to face Asami clearly and pulled her around to face me. Asami frowned in confusion at me for a moment before smiling at me when she saw me smiling at her. "Do you regret coming with us here? For choosing a life here? Do you regret choosing me?" I asked her, already knowing how she will most likely answer, but just asking to make completely sure she doesn't have any regrets before I asked her the next question. Asami smiled lovingly to me before taking a step closer to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"Never."

I smiled brightly in relief and was about to ask her the big question, when my hand felt that, not but both my pockets were empty. I mentally started freaking and patted every where as best as I could without making Asami suspicious. But I was already making her suspicious, because I could see from her face expression, that she was waiting for the next question. Not knowing what else to do, I just kept on smiling before pulling her closer to me. "Do you love me as much as I love you?" I asked her, making her chuckle before answering.

"Absolutely."

We both smiled lovingly to each other before closing our eyes and gently placed our lips to each other, and kissed both lovingly and passionately. As we kissed, I tried my best to go through my mind and tried to remember where did I lose it, or hopefully, where did I misplace it last.

***

"Hey Uncle Iroh!" Asami greated as she and I entered the apartment. Uncle's eyes brightened in excitement when he saw us, but surprisingly he stayed calm. "How was your night with Prince Zuko, my Dear Asami?" He asked, his eyes flickering to her hand for a moment. His eyes widen in surprise before it they went expectingly to me. Luckily Asami didn't notice his eyes and answered his question. "I had a very great time! He took me out for dinner, we most delicious dessert then he took me to the most beautiful fountain ever!" She turned to me with a loving smile and kissed me. "Thank you for tonight... I had a great time."

"Me too." I said with a smile and kissed her one more time before Asami excused herself and went to our bedroom. The second the door was closed, Uncle Iroh quickly looked to me with expecting eyes, but I just groaned as I run my hands through my hair in frustration. "I lost it..." I growned out as I releashed my hair from my hands tight grip. My uncle's eyes widen so big from shock, I was surprised they didn't pop out of his head, before he shouted out so loud, I was surprised Asami didn't hear him while she was in the shower.

"You lost the ring?!?!"

***

The Tale of Kai

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"What do you think Kai, do we need to buy more leeche nuts?" Asami asked her fire ferret, who was sitting on her shoulder, as the two of them walked through the shops and did some groccery shopping. The fire ferret yipped in agreement, making the airbender laugh in amusement before taking some leeche nuts and paid for them before they continued their groccery shopping. As they walked, they walked past an Earth Kingdom man, who was busy playing drums, while his monkey's danced to the music. Asami didn't bother to look, but Kai noticed them, and he could swear he saw Momo in the middle of the two monkeys, dancing. But before he could turn his body to get a better view, Asami turned around a corner to go to the next shop.

***

After their grocery shopping, Kai and Asami went back to the tea shop and continued helping out there until closing time. When they got home, Kai went to the kitchen and sat on the retired general's shoulder, while the person he sat on was busy making tea... again. But the fire ferret did not mind, not at all. He loved tea, especially tea that has been made from Iroh of the Fire Nation. After the tea has been made, Kai drank in happiness his whole cup, while Iroh left the kitchen to check on Prince Zuko and Protector Asami.

When Kai finished drinking his tea, he left the kitchen and went to his beloved owner's room. Once he arrived in the room, he noticed his favourite firebender was busy playing with his nephew's hair. Scared that if he made a sound, the tea-loving firebender will move his attention from the banished scarred prince over to him, and then his hair will get brushed, pulled and everything else he didn't want to happen to his hair. So, he silently as possible moved to the bed and jumped onto it. His plan was to sleep on the comfy bed, but when he got on the bed, something caught his attention.

Right next to the scarred prince's money pouch, was a beautiful gold ring with a red, almost scarlet ruby. Like any other animal, the shiny ring caught his attention, and like any other animal, the fire ferret took the ring out of the money pouch and started playing with it. And he played with it all night long.

***

"How in the blazes did you lose the ring?" Iroh asked the scarred prince as they both entered the room. "I don't know Uncle!" Zuko said as he searched around the room, throwing around his clothes as he looked for the ring. As he looked around, Kai was still playing with the very ring the banished prince was looking for. "I can't believe I lost my mother's wedding ring!" He exclaimed in anger at himself, grubbing his hair and pulled it in frustration. "Calmed down, will find it. Where did you have it last time?" Iroh asked as he helped look around the room for the ring.

"On the bed next to the money pouch!" He exclaimed as he pointed to his bed before he continued throwing his stuff around to room. Iroh looked to the bed and froze in shock when he saw his favourite fire ferret playing with the very ring they were searching for. "Prince Zuko..." He said, getting his attention without looking away from Kai. "What Uncle?" Zuko sighed before turned around to face his uncle, but when he turned around, he saw what his unlce was seeing. "Kai!" The scarred exclaimed in surprise, making the fire ferret yipped in surprise, dropping the ring on the bed.

Both the firebenders stared Kai in disbelief before Iroh started chuckling while Zuko grumbled in annoyance under his breath as he walked over to the bed and picked up the ring. "Now how am I suppose to her?" Zuko asked as he examed the ring, making sure it wasn't damaged. Iroh just chuckled and smiled in amusement before patting his nephew on the shoulder reasuringly. "You'll figure it out Prince Zuko." The retired general said to Zuko before picking up the fire ferret, who was confused on what was going on, but he just shrugged it off before going with Iroh.

Meanwhile Zuko was mentally cursing girlfriend's fire ferret while brainstorming on new ideas on how to ask the big question to Protector Asami.

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