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

Ursa

"Zuko." Ursa said again, hardly believing she was seeing her son again, after so many years. They had been in the same city, but they may as well have been nations apart, considering how often Ozai kept her children away from her. Ursa's eyes flickered over to Zuko's scarred face.

"What happened to you?" Ursa asked, lightly touching the scar. Her eyes narrowed a moment later.

"It was Ozai, wasn't it." The way she said it, it was a statement, not a question.

Zuko

Zuko was very surprised to see her again, and he had no idea what to say to her. Things had... changed. A lot, since she'd been gone. He'd wanted to see her, speak to her about everything that had happened, but he figured now wasn't the greatest time. And surely she would notice the scar...

"What happened to you?"

He didn't answer, turning away a little as she touched the scar.

"It was Ozai, wasn't it."

He nodded, once.

"I'm glad to have found you again," he said.

Ursa

"Me too." Ursa agreed, resisting the urge to take Zuko into a bear hug and never let go. She looked back over at Hakoda.

"Oh, pardon me. This is my son, Zuko, Hakoda. Zuko, this is my...friend, Hakoda. He's taken the apartment over my meat pie shop."

Hakoda

Hakoda nodded in response to Ursa's mention of him. "I'll leave you two alone." He replied before walking away. The last thing he wanted to see was a heart touching reunion between Mother and Son.
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Zuko

Zuko gave a weak smile at her, until she introduced him to Hakoda. He seemed like an interesting character. Somehow, he thought there was something familiar about him.

"Nice to meet you, Hakoda," he said, politely. He watched him walk away. In the back of his mind, Katara showed up. He wasn't sure why, but there she was. He pushed the thought away.

"I... I've missed you, this time, mother. How has everything been?" he asked, gently.

Ursa

"Well...things could be better. Hopefully, business will pick up soon. How has your sister been?" Ursa asked, smiling.

Zuko

"I hope so too."

Zuko tried to keep his expression neutral at the mention of his sister. She was exactly like Ozai. He didn't want anything to do with her, either.

"Oh... she's been... fine," he replied, vaguely.

Ursa

"That's good to hear." Ursa replied, though she could tell Zuko wasn't telling the whole truth. Still, she wasn't about to press him about the issue.

"Well, we should meet again when we get the chance. I'm afraid I must leave for now, Zuko. But....if everything goes well..." Ursa looked conflicted for a moment before continuing.

"You may not have to worry about your father much longer."

Before Zuko could reply, she turned around and began to walk away.

Hakoda

"Well he seemed nice." Hakoda commented to Ursa after she eventually caught up with him. "Doesn't take after his Father much though, does he?"
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Katara

Katara sat alone in her room, humming quietly to herself as she sat in her rocking chair, her legs pulled up onto it so she could swing freely. She hadn't seen Aang since Ozai had returned home, though that was probably for the best, she realized.

Ursa

"Yes, I'm quite thankful for that. He may not be perfect, but at least Zuko is nothing like Ozai." Ursa wholeheartedly agreed.

Ozai

Ozai gave a gentle knock before coming in Katara's room.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Katara. How are you feeling? I'm sorry if that boy from earlier bothered you."

Katara

Katara looked up at Ozai and quickly put her feet down to stop the rocking chair. "Oh, hello Ozai." She greeted as he began to speak. "Oh him? Don't worry about that boy, I had already forgotten him an hour after he left." Katara replied.

Ozai

"Good. I have some good news, Katara. I've reached a decision regarding your status as my ward." Ozai began, walking over to her.

Katara

Katara stood up, not liking how Ozai's voice sounded as he spoke. "Really? Waht do you mean, Ozai?"

Ursa

Ursa walked over to her shop when she saw a young boy in the distance waiting nearby. As she came closer, she noticed the tattoo of an airbender on the boy's forehead. Hm, odd. That wasn't something people saw every day. The Air Nomads usually stayed in their temples, and kept to themselves.

"Can I help you, young man?" Ursa asked as she approached him.

Ozai

"I've come to realize that you need someone to defend yourself from the wickedness of this world. A young girl like yourself wouldn't last five minutes alone in Ba Sing Se. You need protection, far more than I could provide as your guardian." Ozai continued, getting closer to Katara. He continued after a minute passed.

"Which is why I'm going to take you as my wife."

Zuko

Zuko stared after his mother, slightly bewildered by their short exchange. He felt a strange feeling inside. What did she mean? But it didn't matter... to not have to deal with him... it was... too nice of a thought. But he wasn't sure he wanted something extreme to happen to him.

Aang

Aang turned around to see a woman, alongside Hakoda. He was grateful to see him now.

"Oh, hello. I'm fine now, thank you. I've just found who I was looking for."

He walked over to the two of them.

"I'm Aang, a friend of Hakoda's," he said, unsure of the use of the word "friend", but hoping he would not protest. He extended his hand to Ursa.

Sokka

Sokka figured him and Toph were in trouble now due to today's failure. No doubt he'd take out his hidden anger of this situation on them. But there was certainly something strange about the way Bato had greeted the mysterious barber...

Katara

Katara's entire facade dropped in an instant as she heard Ozai's words. "Ex-xcuse me?" She asked rhetorically in shock. "I'm sorry Ozai but no, I will not marry you. I will never marry you. I see you as a Father, or an Uncle, but not a Husband." She replied after catching herself a bit, knowing that she should at least be kind in her rejection.
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Hakoda

Hakoda's eyebrows raised as Aang referred to him as friend, but he did not object to it. That would have been pointless. "Yes, why don't we talk in my new apartment then, Aang."
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Bato

Bato rushed into his room in anger and frustration, locking the door behind him and thus leaving Toph and Sokka outside.

(&%$ I forgot about this. -_-; Go ahead and yell at me. And while you do so tell me what's happeneing? Sorry...)

((It's alright, we understand. Basically, Hakoda and Bato had their shave-off battle thing, and Zuko and Ursa talked to each other for a few minutes. Then her and Hakoda headed back to their place, and Ursa saw Aang and Aang went up to Hakoda and now they're going to talk. Sorry for my failish summary skills.))

((Hakoda and Bato faced off in a barbering contest, and Hakoda won. Police Chief Zhao was impressed, and will soon bring Judge Ozai to Hakoda's shop. Ursa and Zuko met for a few minutes. Ozai has now told Katara she's going to become his wife. Aang and Hakoda are about to talk about rescuing Katara. That's about it.))

Ursa

Ursa walked over to her pie shop and opened it up, walking inside and leaving the door open for Hakoda and his little friend.

Judge Ozai

Ozai's expression turned into a scowl as anger began to swell up inside him. "You are going to be my wife, Katara. There will be no questions about it. This is the only way I can protect you from the world out there."

Katara

"And I am telling you Ozai, I will not sign any consent forms to this. I will never be your wife!" Katara shouted back, beginning to get extremely angry at Ozai's tone.

Toph sighed and put her hair back up. She turned to Sokka with a frown.

"So what do you want to do now?"

Aang

Aang thanked Ursa, as he continued inside. He wated for a good moment to begin, following Hakoda up to the apartment as he walked.

"Hakoda, I just met this girl. Her name is... Katara, I believe. She lives in Judge Ozai's home. And I was just wondering if I could bring her here... it seems like she really needs help, and she seems to really want to get away..."

Sokka

Sokka gave the same expression, though he knew she couldn't see it. He shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should go find that other barber..." he said, not knowing where the idea had come from.

"It seemed like Bato was pretty upset by him. But I think it was something more than just how he lost the shaving contest..."

"And then what? Beat the crap out of him?" Toph paused for a moment. "Can we do that?"

(Random violence ftw!)

Hakoda

Hakoda's eyes practically jumped out of his head as he heard Aang mention Katara. And she was trapped in Ozai's house, no less. "Well then, Aang. The Judge is a very dangerous man, he could be a lot of trouble. Which is why we need to save this girl before any harm comes to her. Of course you could bring her here."

((Haha, FTW indeed. Lol. D:))

Aang

Aang could not repress the smile at Hakoda's yes.

"Thank you, thank you so much, sir," he replied. "I'll be back here soon."

He then proceeded to leave. He should have asked Hakoda if he could help him bring her there, but now he had a place for them to go when he had her. He would get her away. He was determined.

And they would fly.

Sokka

"Well... as good as that sounds, I don't think that would be our best move."