Hakoda: The Demon Barber of Ba Sing Se (Rated T-M)

Ursa

Ursa took a quick sniff of it before recoiling, nearly dropping the bottle. "My meat pies smell better than this crap. Probably taste better, too. I can't believe that man thinks he can fool all these people with such an obvious scam! I mean, it's pretty easy to tell that boy's hair is fake."

Toph entered the stage, smiling brightly at the crowd. Her real long hair was out of the usual bun she wore.

"My mother use to cut my hair short and it would never grow back right. But then I used this amazing product and now look at it! Not only is it long, but it's soft and no split ends either (because those suck)."

She smiled again, trying to look as cute and innocent as possible.

Hakoda

"Hmmmm....." Hakoda hummed as he watched the girl walk out onto the stage. With her it was obvious that the hair was real, but Hakoda doubted the story about her Mother nonetheless.

"I'm positive. This concoction is piss and ink."

General Narrative

Those around Hakoda heard his declaration, and his words were slowly passed among the crowd, who began to believe him more and more after each minute. Finally most of the crowd became convinced of the fraud, and began to shout insults at Sokka, Toph, and their benefactor, also calling them frauds as well.

Hakoda/Bato

Hakoda stood in place with a straight expression, unperturbed by the crowd's ranting and shouting.

Bato ran out from the back door onto the stage, a calm smile on his face. Though the bulging vein in his neck told a different story. "And what problem is it that you wonderful peoples are having with my miracle elixir?"

Ursa

"You're a fraud, plain and simple! Your elixir is nothing but ink and sewer water!" someone from the crowd shouted. It seemed Hakoda's claims had been distorted some as it had been passed around, but the idea was still essentially the same.

"I beat you're not even good at being a barber, either!" someone else from the crowd shouted.

Hakoda/Bato

"How dare you! If the Czar of Virsia could hear your lies, your head would be removed from you body!" Bato shouted, waving his hands about dramatically as he spoke. "Who started these lie! Who?" Bato shouted as he stared accusingly into the crowd.

"I did." Hakoda replied loudly, sounding bored almost with all the theatrics. "This Miracle Elixir of yours is piss and ink. I would never recommend it to any of my clients unless I disliked them intensely."

"Oh, so you are a Barber as well then? Very well...I challenge you to a shaving contest!" Bato said suddenly as he pointed at Hakoda dramatically.

Ursa

"What'll he get out of it?" Ursa interjected. She had complete faith in Hakoda's ability to outdo that fraud, so she wanted him to earn something from all this fuss. Besides, Hakoda did need some money to buy all the proper equipment he'd need for his shop.

Police Chief Zhao pushed through the crowd, making sure to get a good view up front. He was getting rather intersted in these turn of events.

Bato/Hakoda

Bato rubbed his chin thoughtfully after hearing Ursa's response. "Very well then, your loud wife right. I bet twenty gold coins!" Bato stated dramatically as he pulled a small purse out of his coat.

Hakod rolled his eyes as he walked past the crowd and onto the stage. To be honest he could care less about the money, this issue was one of pride instead. Plus if he could get his name out...

Ursa

"Well, if he's gonna do this, you two will need a fair and impartial judge. How about...Police Chief Zhao?" Ursa suggested, her eyes flickering over to the corrupt man. Zhao smiled and nodded.

"It would be my pleasure to serve my friends and neighbors. I would be happy to judge."

Hakoda/Bato

Hakoda's lips pursed tightly together as he saw Zhao walk up to the stage. Though he tried to take his attention off of the Police Chief as he quickly pulled a box out of his shirt.

Bato motioned to men from the crowd onto the stage. "Come, you wouldn't mind a free shave, no?" He asked before placing both men onto two stools that had been brought out. "Sokka, bring me my shaving tools."

Sokka nodded in response, and hurried into the tent. He snatched up Bato's tools swiftly, but carefully, and rushed back outside, not wanting any punishment for being too slow. It had been a while since something this big had happened for Bato and his business. He had to let him prove himself.

"Well, this will be interesting, won't it?" he said, risking a comment to Toph as he came back out. He handed the tools off to Bato.
-------
Zuko watched as his father's confidant walked up to the front of the crowd. Now, more than ever, he wanted to get out. He glanced over at the girl, the other little minion of the fraudulent (sp?) barber. She acted well, he had to give her that.

Bato/Hakoda

"No talking, only business." Bato threatened Sokka before kicking him as he walked away. After he had his tools laid out on a bench, Bato looked up at Hakoda, smiling creepily at him. "Now then, whoever does the smoothest shave, the fastest, wins. Correct Sir?" Bato asked as he changed his gaze to Zhao.

Zhao

"Correct." Zhao replied.

((Just got back from seeing How To Train Your Dragon. It....was...awesome!!))

Bato/Hakoda

"Lovely." Bato said as he pulled out his pack of shaving cream. "Now, the first thing we must do is mix the lather perfectly." Bato informed the crowd as he stirred the mix furiously. The conman began to grow nervous as Hakoda stood in place and simply stared at him from his spot on the stage, not even pulling out a knife to start the shaving process.

Bato relaxed as he realized he could take his time, and so he slowly splattered his Customer with the lather, messily getting it on the man's clothes. And then Bato pulls out one of his knives, and begins to theatrically shave the man in front of him without any particular strategy.

Hakoda finally pulls out on of his Razors and begins to sharpen the blade slowly. The Crowd's attention is taken away from bato as they look at Hakoda, curious to see what the mysterious Barber will do.

Bato chuckled nervously as he began to grow afraid of Hakoda. "To make perfect shave, it requires passion, no? And I am nothing but a passionate man." Bato said as he flirted with one of the woman in the crowd.

Hakoda ignores Bato as he quickly lathers his Customer's face in just a few quick strokes. Within seconds, Hakoda has the man's face shaven clean, and a smirk on his face as he looked towards Zhao. "Police Chief, I am finished."

Zhao

"The winner is Hakoda!" Zhao declared. The crowd gave a mighty cheer at his announcement. Ursa applauded Hakoda, and eyed the bag of coins Bato had offered up greedily.

Hakoda/Bato

Bato's face fell in shock and shame as the crowd cheered for Hakoda. But his expression quickly changed as he walked up to the other Barber and shook his hand. "Congratulation Sir, truly you are the better Barber then me."

Hakoda said nothing as he released Bato's hand quickly. "What about the money you promised?" Hakoda asked.

"Oh yes, the money, of course." Bato replied as he pulled the purse out of his pocket, carefully counting out the gold coins and handing them to Hakoda, who simply handed them to Ursa as though he had no need for them.

"Well then Sir, until we meet again." Bato said, a smug and knowing grin on his face as he walked back into the backroom behind the stage.

Ursa

Ursa quickly counted all the coins, to make sure Bato had kept true to his word. She let out a little squeal of delight to see he'd been telling the truth. With this much money, she could finally get some moderately rotten meat for her pies! That was a big jump from using the bodies of dead animals.

"Sir?" a young man walked over to Hakoda. "Do you have an establishment somewhere? I might want to visit your shop sometime."

Hakoda

"Lower ring, district twelve, street thirteen. My shop is above the Meat Pie store." Hakoda informed the potential Customer. "Oh, and Police Chief Zhao, I just want you to know that you can come for a free shave any time." Hakoda said as he turned his gaze towards his bitter rival.

Zhao

"Why thank you, Mr. Hakoda. Have we...met?" Zhao asked, staring intently at Hakoda's face.

"Oh, no, of course not! He's my friend from Omashu. Never been to Ba Sing Se before." Ursa quickly interjected. Zhao slowly nodded.

"Very well. Well, I might stop by your shop sometime this week. I may even bring Judge Ozai. He has been considering getting a shave."

Hakoda

"I would be honored if you did, Sir." Hakoda replied with an oddly creepy smile on his face after the Judge was mentioned.

Zhao

"Well, I shall be on my way, then." Zhao said, giving a bow. He quickly left. Ursa beamed at Hakoda.

"Well, things are certainly going well for you. Ozai should be at your shop within the week!"

Hakoda

"True. But I still have quite a few preparations to make before he does." Hakoda replied as he walked off the stage.

Ursa

"Right. Well, shall we head back then? We need to look at the upstairs apartment, decide what all you're gonna need." Ursa suggested. Her eyes briefly scanned the slowly disappearing crowd, but her gaze fixated on one boy.

"Zuko?" Ursa breathed, shocked to see her son again.

Sokka

Sokka winced as he was kicked, but faded into the background as directed, watching his master get whipped by this new, mysterious barber. He smirked silently to himself, and watched as the crowd cheered. He looked down as the men greeted each other. It was a strange exchange. Wtih this, he headed back into the tent.

Zuko

Zuko began to hurry through the crowd now, eager to be alone, when a particular woman seemed to stare at him. Someone vaguely... familiar.

He stared back at her, and realized that it was his mother, Ursa. He hadn't seen her in... so long. Forget that they lived in the same city; the lengths apart that they were was just like liviing in different cities. He debated whether he should greet her, knowing that Zhao was still present. He disregarded this. What was the worst that Ozai could do? He pushed the thought from his mind as he walked over to her.

"Mother," he said.

Aang

Meanwhile, Aang wandered the foreign streets, searching for the street and district of Hakoda. He wanted to tell him about Katara, how she needed help. How he needed his help to get her out. He was filled with excitement and urgency and a new, strange feeling that was all for this girl. He'd never felt so driven before. This seemed to mean something very important.