Post by seizansha on Dec 10, 2006 2:59:50 GMT -5
just a simple one-shot, but it might turn into a series... 
Title: Greater treasures
Author: seizansha
Rating: PG for hints of hormones
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of this unfortunately. Nick and it’s creators do.
Author's Note: could be set anywhere between 'The Avatar State' and 'Serpent's Pass' i.e. before they get to Ba Sing Se. ties to the whole 'series' thing above, the finale got me thinking of another moment.
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“Uuhhh…”
“Nice to see you’re waking up. I was starting to get worried,” a soft voice spoke to his right.
Prying his eyes open, he blinked the sleep and blurriness away. “Where am I? What happened?” he turned to find a young woman about his age sitting beside him.
She only smiled before turning back to her lap. “Don’t worry, you’re still in the forest outside the village. I found you face down in the middle of some sleep-grass. I tried to get as far away as I could,” She smiled again as she turned back to him, “but you’re a heavy sleeper. It’s about ten paces down the path.”
He turned away at the heat rising in his face. “Must be an effect of the grass,” he muttered as he sat up, trying to roll to his feet. He barely noticed her grip as the ground wobbled beneath him. Falling back against the tree, he tried to glare at her through the dizziness. “What do you want?” he shook her hand off his arm.
All he got was that soft smile again. “I’m not an earth bender. It’s just another effect of the grass. It’ll pass in a few minutes,” she turned to her right, away from him, “Here, have some of my lunch, it’ll help.”
They’d been living as peasants for some months – but even this was meager. A small apple, half a crusty loaf of bread and a small water skin was it. His head still lowered, he found his gaze wondering up her arms, over her body. She definitely wasn’t surviving this way; she looked perfectly healthy. Slim arms, slender legs, with curves that made his 16 year old heart race. She was wearing typical peasant clothes for the Earth Kingdom, only there was intricate embroidery on the front of her right shoulder and her pants weren’t the usual green. They were bluish black.
His walls snapped up.
Just as she giggled, “Don’t worry, have the apple. The tree’s not far from here, I can always pick another.”
She only confused him even more. Checking the apple over before biting in, he turned from her and looked around. The trees weren’t overbearing. The animals didn’t anger him. The brook wasn’t mocking him.
He couldn’t remember ever feeling like this.
He would have chalked it up to the sleep-grass again…
“It’s why I like it here,” she started talking, never looking up, her hands busy in her lap. “You just forget everything else, live in the moment.”
All he could do was nod and turn to her. She barely paused at her work; a slight blush coloring her cheeks. He shifted until he was facing her, still at her side. She was embroidering a moneybag, moving suddenly so he couldn’t see what she was working, she giggled nervously, “I’ve had this for a while now, but I couldn’t figure out what to put on it. That’s why I came here today.”
He didn’t want her to stop talking. He wasn’t sure why, most girls that he met prattled on like idiots or stared at his scar. She was just talking… like they’d known each other for years.
“You’re the dressmaker’s daughter?” he guessed.
She shook her head, her raven hair billowing out of the loose ponytail draped over her left shoulder. “I’m only working there for a bit. I’ll have to move on soon.”
He found himself reaching out, softly tucking her hair behind her ear. “Why?”
Her blush only deepened at his touch. She paused briefly before she changed threads. “I ran away. I followed in my father’s footsteps,” she caught him slightly turning away, “Our business was doing very well. Many came to our shop because of my work. All I ever wanted was to work there... run the store one day. But the destiny my father chose for me was quite different.”
He sat still as she turned to him, her head hung. “Two years ago my father sold the store to our rival and gave me to him in marriage. I begged him not to wed me off to a much older man that would keep me as a slave, but my father wouldn’t listen. So I left. The man will not pay my father until we are wed, so both have been looking for me. I try not to live off my skill, knowing it will lead them here. But sometimes, I have no choice.”
The silence was just there. It wasn’t oppressive, overbearing or apprehensive. It was… comfortable. She wasn’t expecting anything out of him. All she’d done was take care of him and answer his questions.
“How do you know about the sleep-grass?” he almost whispered as he turned back to her.
“My maternal grandfather was an apothecary. I don’t know a lot, but I know what’s important.” She replied, turning the black bag inside out, pulling two red pieces of satin from her pocket, she started sewing them in. He almost smiled as she turned enough for her hair to fall along her face again, hiding this new blush crossing her cheeks. “Now, may I ask you a question?”
His whole mood changed. He knew and he didn’t want to let go of the moment just yet.
She read his silence well. “I’ll admit; it is a personal question. And I will understand if you don’t want me to ask… to answer me.”
His honor and pride was on the line. She had told her past, her pain… that was so much like his. He must do the same. “You can ask,” he offered, his gaze falling to the ground between them.
He barely saw her hand hovering between them. “Your eye…” she paused as he hung his head, “… is it blind? Can you see anything with it?”
He was dumbstruck. In all the years, Uncle was the only one who had asked that question. Raising his head, he only found more curiosity than concern in her eyes.
She misread him this time. “I’m sorry. I never should have asked,” she said softly as she turned away, packing everything up.
He stood up just as she moved to, holding his hand out to her. “Don’t be,” she nodded, letting him help her up. “Just shapes, no colors… I don’t get asked that a lot.” He stood tall, his gaze going over her head, far away.
He jumped as he felt her fingertips run along the bottom edge. “There’s more pain here than just physical. I figured that’s why you’re out here, why you stayed with me.” Her hand slowly slid down his face and neck, stopping over his heart. “I didn’t want to take it from you.”
His closed his eyes as he took her hand, squeezing it briefly before lowering them. Opening his eyes when she wouldn’t let go, he found her smiling softly as she turned and started walking, pulling him along. He smirked as he joined her, still holding on.
The walk wasn’t long; still neither said a word ‘til they got to the edge of the forest. She turned to him with a sad smile. “I had fun today,” she pulled something from her bag, “I want you to have this.” she put it in his hand.
It was the moneybag. An ornate design was done in blacks and blues on the black cotton sack. He couldn’t help running his fingers over it, “A Bat of Shou-Hsing…”
She only watched his fingers. “I know the colors don’t vary much; it’s not as flashy that way and they fit the motif.”
He stopped. Shaking his head, he handed it back. “I can’t take this.”
He jumped as she curled his fingers around it. “It’s only fair. You inspired it,” she smiled at his slight blush. “Consider it a gift.”
She kept her hands curled loosely around his until he pulled his back, nodding reluctantly. She only giggled. “Oh, and give this to Iroh,” she put another pouch in his hand, “Tell him no bigger than the end of your thumb or you’ll sleep for a week.”
He was too stunned, “Sleep...?”
She nodded, “That’s dried. Now it’ll only work in tea.” Stepping closer, she stretched against him, giving him a quick kiss on his left cheek. “It’s too bad we never met earlier Zuko.”
She started walking away as his hand slowly went to his face. Feeling the bags brush his cheek snapped him out of it just when she got to the road. “What’s your name?”
Turning back to him, she smiled brightly. “It’s Zhi.”
-------
He found his uncle right where he’d expected: at the table with a pot of tea, playing solitaire. He sat across from him, holding his left hand out over the game. “What have you brought me today Nephew?”
“Zhi asked me to give it to you. She said no bigger than the end of you thumb,” he answered, looking him in the eye.
“And what of this magnificent purse?” Iroh asked as he took the pouch off it.
He slowly pulled his hand back. “Zhi… made it for me.”
Iroh smiled, “A beautiful afternoon with a beautiful girl. There’s a greater treasure than any you could fill it with.”
He smiled softly at his uncle’s words before tucking the pouch inside his shirt.
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AN: Shou-Hsing is a Chinese god of the Underworld, so he and his bats symbolize rebirth, ritual death, initiation, confronting fear, letting go of old habits, happiness, good luck, health, wealth, long life, peace, incomplete understanding, avoiding obstacles, transformation, and past lives. I found all this in some familiars information I have: I was specifically looking for Chinese and many of these traits either fit or are something Zuko needs.
Title: Greater treasures
Author: seizansha
Rating: PG for hints of hormones
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of this unfortunately. Nick and it’s creators do.
Author's Note: could be set anywhere between 'The Avatar State' and 'Serpent's Pass' i.e. before they get to Ba Sing Se. ties to the whole 'series' thing above, the finale got me thinking of another moment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Uuhhh…”
“Nice to see you’re waking up. I was starting to get worried,” a soft voice spoke to his right.
Prying his eyes open, he blinked the sleep and blurriness away. “Where am I? What happened?” he turned to find a young woman about his age sitting beside him.
She only smiled before turning back to her lap. “Don’t worry, you’re still in the forest outside the village. I found you face down in the middle of some sleep-grass. I tried to get as far away as I could,” She smiled again as she turned back to him, “but you’re a heavy sleeper. It’s about ten paces down the path.”
He turned away at the heat rising in his face. “Must be an effect of the grass,” he muttered as he sat up, trying to roll to his feet. He barely noticed her grip as the ground wobbled beneath him. Falling back against the tree, he tried to glare at her through the dizziness. “What do you want?” he shook her hand off his arm.
All he got was that soft smile again. “I’m not an earth bender. It’s just another effect of the grass. It’ll pass in a few minutes,” she turned to her right, away from him, “Here, have some of my lunch, it’ll help.”
They’d been living as peasants for some months – but even this was meager. A small apple, half a crusty loaf of bread and a small water skin was it. His head still lowered, he found his gaze wondering up her arms, over her body. She definitely wasn’t surviving this way; she looked perfectly healthy. Slim arms, slender legs, with curves that made his 16 year old heart race. She was wearing typical peasant clothes for the Earth Kingdom, only there was intricate embroidery on the front of her right shoulder and her pants weren’t the usual green. They were bluish black.
His walls snapped up.
Just as she giggled, “Don’t worry, have the apple. The tree’s not far from here, I can always pick another.”
She only confused him even more. Checking the apple over before biting in, he turned from her and looked around. The trees weren’t overbearing. The animals didn’t anger him. The brook wasn’t mocking him.
He couldn’t remember ever feeling like this.
He would have chalked it up to the sleep-grass again…
“It’s why I like it here,” she started talking, never looking up, her hands busy in her lap. “You just forget everything else, live in the moment.”
All he could do was nod and turn to her. She barely paused at her work; a slight blush coloring her cheeks. He shifted until he was facing her, still at her side. She was embroidering a moneybag, moving suddenly so he couldn’t see what she was working, she giggled nervously, “I’ve had this for a while now, but I couldn’t figure out what to put on it. That’s why I came here today.”
He didn’t want her to stop talking. He wasn’t sure why, most girls that he met prattled on like idiots or stared at his scar. She was just talking… like they’d known each other for years.
“You’re the dressmaker’s daughter?” he guessed.
She shook her head, her raven hair billowing out of the loose ponytail draped over her left shoulder. “I’m only working there for a bit. I’ll have to move on soon.”
He found himself reaching out, softly tucking her hair behind her ear. “Why?”
Her blush only deepened at his touch. She paused briefly before she changed threads. “I ran away. I followed in my father’s footsteps,” she caught him slightly turning away, “Our business was doing very well. Many came to our shop because of my work. All I ever wanted was to work there... run the store one day. But the destiny my father chose for me was quite different.”
He sat still as she turned to him, her head hung. “Two years ago my father sold the store to our rival and gave me to him in marriage. I begged him not to wed me off to a much older man that would keep me as a slave, but my father wouldn’t listen. So I left. The man will not pay my father until we are wed, so both have been looking for me. I try not to live off my skill, knowing it will lead them here. But sometimes, I have no choice.”
The silence was just there. It wasn’t oppressive, overbearing or apprehensive. It was… comfortable. She wasn’t expecting anything out of him. All she’d done was take care of him and answer his questions.
“How do you know about the sleep-grass?” he almost whispered as he turned back to her.
“My maternal grandfather was an apothecary. I don’t know a lot, but I know what’s important.” She replied, turning the black bag inside out, pulling two red pieces of satin from her pocket, she started sewing them in. He almost smiled as she turned enough for her hair to fall along her face again, hiding this new blush crossing her cheeks. “Now, may I ask you a question?”
His whole mood changed. He knew and he didn’t want to let go of the moment just yet.
She read his silence well. “I’ll admit; it is a personal question. And I will understand if you don’t want me to ask… to answer me.”
His honor and pride was on the line. She had told her past, her pain… that was so much like his. He must do the same. “You can ask,” he offered, his gaze falling to the ground between them.
He barely saw her hand hovering between them. “Your eye…” she paused as he hung his head, “… is it blind? Can you see anything with it?”
He was dumbstruck. In all the years, Uncle was the only one who had asked that question. Raising his head, he only found more curiosity than concern in her eyes.
She misread him this time. “I’m sorry. I never should have asked,” she said softly as she turned away, packing everything up.
He stood up just as she moved to, holding his hand out to her. “Don’t be,” she nodded, letting him help her up. “Just shapes, no colors… I don’t get asked that a lot.” He stood tall, his gaze going over her head, far away.
He jumped as he felt her fingertips run along the bottom edge. “There’s more pain here than just physical. I figured that’s why you’re out here, why you stayed with me.” Her hand slowly slid down his face and neck, stopping over his heart. “I didn’t want to take it from you.”
His closed his eyes as he took her hand, squeezing it briefly before lowering them. Opening his eyes when she wouldn’t let go, he found her smiling softly as she turned and started walking, pulling him along. He smirked as he joined her, still holding on.
The walk wasn’t long; still neither said a word ‘til they got to the edge of the forest. She turned to him with a sad smile. “I had fun today,” she pulled something from her bag, “I want you to have this.” she put it in his hand.
It was the moneybag. An ornate design was done in blacks and blues on the black cotton sack. He couldn’t help running his fingers over it, “A Bat of Shou-Hsing…”
She only watched his fingers. “I know the colors don’t vary much; it’s not as flashy that way and they fit the motif.”
He stopped. Shaking his head, he handed it back. “I can’t take this.”
He jumped as she curled his fingers around it. “It’s only fair. You inspired it,” she smiled at his slight blush. “Consider it a gift.”
She kept her hands curled loosely around his until he pulled his back, nodding reluctantly. She only giggled. “Oh, and give this to Iroh,” she put another pouch in his hand, “Tell him no bigger than the end of your thumb or you’ll sleep for a week.”
He was too stunned, “Sleep...?”
She nodded, “That’s dried. Now it’ll only work in tea.” Stepping closer, she stretched against him, giving him a quick kiss on his left cheek. “It’s too bad we never met earlier Zuko.”
She started walking away as his hand slowly went to his face. Feeling the bags brush his cheek snapped him out of it just when she got to the road. “What’s your name?”
Turning back to him, she smiled brightly. “It’s Zhi.”
-------
He found his uncle right where he’d expected: at the table with a pot of tea, playing solitaire. He sat across from him, holding his left hand out over the game. “What have you brought me today Nephew?”
“Zhi asked me to give it to you. She said no bigger than the end of you thumb,” he answered, looking him in the eye.
“And what of this magnificent purse?” Iroh asked as he took the pouch off it.
He slowly pulled his hand back. “Zhi… made it for me.”
Iroh smiled, “A beautiful afternoon with a beautiful girl. There’s a greater treasure than any you could fill it with.”
He smiled softly at his uncle’s words before tucking the pouch inside his shirt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AN: Shou-Hsing is a Chinese god of the Underworld, so he and his bats symbolize rebirth, ritual death, initiation, confronting fear, letting go of old habits, happiness, good luck, health, wealth, long life, peace, incomplete understanding, avoiding obstacles, transformation, and past lives. I found all this in some familiars information I have: I was specifically looking for Chinese and many of these traits either fit or are something Zuko needs.