𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 | zuko

3: UPPER RING

I'd only ever seen him twice.  A second time, when I caught up with him and a friend in the market, who was supposedly a knife thrower from the circus.  Actually, that was the night before the Fire Nation soldiers started marching through the towns. 

It made me wonder if he knew anything about it.  Maybe he did.  Did he change, too?  Did he regret it?  How did it even happen?  Everyone thought Ba Sing Se was an impenetrable city.  But as we figured from that night on, it most certainly wasn't.

"So if you see his uncle, maybe you could get to him somehow?"

I nodded. "He seemed to be close with his uncle.  Maybe he could send him a letter?"

"I suppose so.  Maybe we should go to the Upper Ring.  I've heard they've got the most amazing spas."

"We're not going to have a spa day, Kyra."

"I know, I know.  But if we get some extra time?"

"Then we'll go to the spa."

Kyra beamed.

I begged and I pleaded later that night, as father and mother thought it over.  Mother thought it a wonderful idea, but father wasn't so convinced.  The war had only just ended, after all. But I assured him Kyra and I would be fine, after all, she is a rather good earthbender.  

"So?  Can I?  Just as a day trip, we'll be back around dark.  Please, father?"

He continued to think.  

"Well, alright."

"Ah!  Thank you, father!"  I ran up and hugged him tightly.  He smiled and hugged back. 

"What are you going to do in the Upper Ring?" asked mother eagerly. 

"Well, we might go to a spa, maybe a tea shop, get some lunch somewhere.  Just have a day off, you know?  We've only been to the Upper Ring once together, so we thought it might be a nice idea for just the two of us to go together, to celebrate the end of the war."

"That's a perfect idea," she smiled.  "Now, why don't we have some dinner?"

-- ꩜ 🌊 🌏 🔥 --

So, Kyra and I, in our best day clothes, paid for train tickets to the Upper Ring.  We got maps at the station, but the Jasmine Dragon was not marked on any of them.

"Did the guy from the market say where it was?" asked Kyra, her eyes hovering over a map as we sat on the train, going through the wall that separated the Upper Ring from the Lower Ring.  

"No," I said.  "He just said Upper Ring.  I stopped listening.  But I'm sure if we ask someone at the Upper Ring Station, they'll know."

"I hope so," she said, picking up another map.  

The train ride gave me time to think.  Good thing, because I hadn't even thought of what I was going to say.  Would he even remember me?  I mean, I did sit in the shop every day.  And Zuko's Uncle was the one who accepted my offer for him when I asked if he'd like to go out sometime. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't.  But I would probably have to find the tea shop, first.

When Kyra and I finally got there, we went toward the information desk.  It was the place where we would most likely find the answer to our question.  And, they had some more maps and brochures.  

While Kyra stopped at a stand holding spa advertisements, I looked at the man behind the desk.

"Welcome to the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se.  Can I help you?" he asked.

I smiled.  "Thank you.  I was wondering where I could find the Jasmine Dragon?"

"Ah," said the man.  "Best tea in Ba Sing Se.  It's just east of Turtleduck street.  You can't miss it."

"Thank you, sir," I said, bowing. He did the same.  "Are you coming, Kyra?"

"Yes, I'm coming.  She collected three brochures from different spas and stuffed them in her pocket.  I rolled my eyes.

"What?" she said.  "For later."

I snickered.

"Alright, the man said that the Jasmine Dragon was just east off of Turtleduck Street.  Do you have the maps?"

Kyra nodded.  "Here, this one had the most street names." She handed me a map, and I looked around for the street name, around the station.  I hoped we weren't too far. 

"There," I said, finally finding it.  "It's a little way away from here.  We can walk."

"Perfect."

We took off, walking through the city.  It was organized, and not clustered at all, unlike the Lower Ring.  People walked through, chatting politely and walking into and out of shops with newly bought goods.  It was like the Fire Nation had never even come here.  Maybe they only patrolled the Lower Ring.  Rich people were much faster to comply, as long as they could keep their money.  

Merchants sold delicious-smelling street food in communal areas, and there were multiple fountains that reminded me of the one with the lanterns.  Only none were quite the same.  

It was only ten minutes before we walked past a group of three giggling girls with makeup on, wearing silk dresses.  They eyed us, whispered, and giggled as we walked past across a small bridge over a river that ran through the Upper Ring.  I ignored them, but Kyra found it a problem.

"Is there something wrong, ladies?" she blurted, falsely sweet.  

One smiled.  "Oh, nothing."

"Then what's that you were laughing at?  I'd love to hear it."

"Kyra, just keep walking," I mumbled.  

"No, no, we'll tell you," giggled one of the girls.  "We could tell you two weren't from around here. Even the way you walk is uncivilized.  You're from the Lower Ring, aren't you?"

Kyra stepped forward.  "And what about it?"

The girls giggled again. "Oh, nothing.  You wouldn't get it."

"Well," said Kyra.  "Maybe you'll get this!"

Kyra stomped her foot, and the stones the girls were standing on popped up, and launched them down into the river, then went back into their places.  The girls shrieked and panicked, their makeup being ruined and their silk dresses all wet.

"Who's funny now?" asked Kyra, over the edge of the bridge.   The girls gave her death stares and she and I walked away.

Kyra laughed as we walked.  "Put them in their place," she said.  "We deserve to be here much more than they do."

"Oh, I'm sure of it," I said.  "Hey, Turtleduck Street!"

I pointed to a wood sign reading the street's name. We walked onto it, then onto a patio leading up to a building of green and gold.  There was a small fountain in its courtyard, one I threw a bronze piece into before walking in, just for good luck.  

"The Jasmine Dragon," said Kyra.  "Cmon."