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

Ursa

Ursa glared sternly at Hakoda. "We have to draw the line somewhere, you know. Besides, I bet that man abused those poor kids to no end. They'd be happy to get rid of him. Besides....I could always use some more help around the shop." Ursa said, adding that last part as an afterthought.

"They could use the work to keep them off of the streets, and I do miss being a mother."

Hakoda

"Fine..." Hakoda said after sighing loudly once again. "But while you're playing Foster Mother to the rats of the street, I am going to have to figure out how to get rid of these bodies while they're working in your little shop. And I don't think that they'll take kindly to me asking them to do the work." Hakoda pointed out.

Ursa

"Well, maybe we could bury him in the..." Ursa trailed off as she heard a voice yelling downstairs. Her eyes widdened as she recognized it.

"It's Ozai! He's here!"

Sokka

Sokka knew that Toph would be pleased to beat up this new barber. He sort of wished she would do so to Bato sometimes, however. But he would never have the nerve to ask or think about doing such a thing. Well, until now. Soon, they arrived at the man's shop...

Aang

Aang stared at her in wide-eyed shock. Marry him?! Was he hearing her correctly?

"I'm... sorry," he said. "Well... all the more reason to get you out. And... I'm sure there's something that can be done."

He immediately started thinking of the ways to get her out of there.

Hakoda

"What!?" Hakoda asked in shock. He was very glad that his chance to kill the Judge had finally arrived, but even he thought that this was a bit soon. "It must have been Zhao...." Hakoda realized as he quickly hid Bato's body in the chest. "You should probably go...." Hakoda commented to Ursa.
---------------------
Katara

"I hope so Aang. When I told him no...he almost..." Katara replied.

Toph stopped outside the barber shop, her face completely serious now. She could feel something inside. The feeling of hearts racing made her wonder what was going on.

"Sokka I think we should be careful. Something is going on inside."

Ursa

"Of course!" Ursa answered. She headed downstairs and hid her face from Ozai. She did her best to change her voice and pointed the Judge (and an older Azula, she saw out of the corner of her eye) upstairs to Hakoda's. Once they were up, Ursa sighed with relief. She noticed Sokk and Toph outside her shop and rsuhed over to them, opening the door.

"I remember the two of you! Come in, dears. Please, make yourselves at home."

Ozai

Ozai and his daughter Azula trodded up the stairs, entering Hakoda's barber shop. The judge slowly looked around, not impressed with the establishment. Azula gave a snort of discontempt.

"You are Hakoda, I presume, sir?" Ozai asked, turning to him.

Sokka

Sokka paused outside the shop as Toph did. He knew better than to defy her; after all, she was the one who could sense intricate motions through the ground. He gave a curt nod, and decided to wait. But this began to make him nervous... what could possibly be going on in there?

It was then that the woman from earlier stepped out, and invited them inside. Maybe nothing was wrong... she wouldn't have done that if something was wrong, right?

"Thank you," he said, politely as he entered.

Aang

Aang bit his lip, and grimaced. This was very serious, more serious than he could have ever thought. He pulled out his staff, waiting for a moment when nobody else was looking to let it open.

"Well... I think I can get you away."

Zuko

Zuko practiced his bending, in a clearing where not many were. He desired privacy, but he knew it would not happen in the city. Soon afterward, he started to head back to the house. But he decided that he had more time to kill. More time to avoid his father and his sister. He was wandering through District 12, when he came upon the two kids who were up on stage during that fraud performance. The sign above the lower floor said "Ursa's Meat Pies". It was his mother's shop. He wondered what those two were doing there. They were invited inside. He ignored them as he hesitated at the door. His father was there... and Azula, just around the corner going up the stairs to the barber's shop. So much for avoiding them. Still, his mother was there.

He knocked on the door into her shop.

Toph hesitated, but she knew both she and Sokka could defend themselves if something was wrong inside. She smiled at the woman, acting like the sweet girl she usually did during schemes.

"Thank you."

Hakoda

Hakoda bowed his head while replying, "I am, Sir."

Though the Barber wasn't pleased to see that the Judge's Daughter had arrived along with Ozai. He would never be able to kill the Judge while she was here....
-----------------------
Katara

Katara bit her lip as Aang made the offer. He was an airbender, he could easily fly up and get her out of the room. "Ok, just let me pack a few things and I'll be ready. I think I have a few things that we could sell for a good price." She replied before running back into her room.

Ursa

Ursa heard a knock at her door, and saw Zuko. Smiling brightly, she ushered him in.

"The both of you are welcome," she said to Sokka and Toph. She gestured for them all to sleep. Turning to the two orphans, Ursa said,

"I'm...afraid I have some bad news. Or some good news, if you look at it in a certain way."

Ozai

"I am not overly impressed by your establishment, sir." Ozai said, surveying the room again.

Hakoda

"Yes well, I find that the service is more important then the decorum. But if you'd like, Sir, I could go out and buy some curtains before shaving you?"

Ozai

"No, no, that won't be necessary." Ozai replied, giving a dismissive wave. "I came here for a shave. It shouldn't matter what your shop looks like, so long as you satisfy me. I need to look good for an upcoming...wedding."

After a moment's hesitation, Ozai decided to take a seat on a nearby chair. Azula moved toward him, standing at his side.

Hakoda

Hakoda pulled the lather out of his kit as he walked over towards Ozai. "Oh, a wedding Sir? May I ask who the lucky Lady is?" Hakoda asked as he began to stir the Lather. Ozai was hoping that if he ignored Azula long enough, the Girl would get bored and wander off for a while. Though she seemed to be oddly focused, for what reasons Hakoda did not know.

Ozai

"My ward, Katara. Such a beautiful young thing, she is." Ozai said proudly. Azula stood there stoicly, but a small smirk graced her features.

Hakoda

Hakoda inwardly seethed as he heard the news. And he contemplated whether or not he should simply kill Ozai right here and now, damn the fact that the Girl was right there. "Well then, I'll make sure to give you the closest shave of your life. Woman love a bare and clean face after all."

Zuko

Zuko walked in, offering his mother a weak smile, though he was absolutely not enthused to be there while his father and sister were present.

Aang

Aang nodded, waiting for Katara to do what she needed to. He could fly them anywhere in the city, though he knew he wouldn't be able to make it over the huge walls to get out without any assistance.

Sokka

Sokka looked at her, trying to figure out what she was about to say before the words came out of her mouth. It was simple; Bato had probably gone here... and... something must have happened to him? He sudden grew nervous.

Ozai

"Indeed. That is why I've come to you. Zhao has spoken very highly of you, Mr. Hakoda. I hope you do not disappoint." Ozai said.

Ursa

"It seems that Bato fellow has decided to move on, but has left the two of you behind." Ursa continued.

Sokka

Sokka stared at the woman, almost surprised. Almost. But, he knew it had been coming. Now that he thought about it, he felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Hakoda

"I'll make sure to give you the shave a wonderful man like you deserves on his wedding day." Hakoda replied as he placed a cloth around Ozai's neck. "Tell me, do you wish to keep the sideburns? Some say they're coming back in style, make a man look distinguished and all that." Hakoda asked as he picked up the bowl of lather.

Ozai

"Of course." Ozai said.

Ursa

"Now, since he's gone and left you all here, the both of you will need a place to stay. I'd be happy to have you both live here. I have a spare room in the back, and I could always need more help in the shop. And, I promise to be nothing like that jerk Bato." Ursa said.

Katara

Katara ran back to her window as quickly as she could, a small bag in hand as she looked down at Aang. "I'm ready..."
----------------------
Hakoda

Hakoda nodded to show that he understood before he quickly spread the lather across the Judge's face.

Toph frowned. So what she felt earlier was them killing Bato or something to that effect. But at least the woman was offering them a place to stay. Toph was not going to live on the streets again.

"I don't know. What do you think Sokka?"

Sokka

Sokka observed his friend as the woman spoke, knowing that Toph was more trustworthy than this woman. The frown on her face was telling; the barber and the meat shop owner had most certainly done something to Bato. He tried not to think about this as he came up with a response.

"Sure. Let's stay," he replied. "Thank you very much, um..."

He recalled the front of the shop.

"...Ursa."

Aang

Aang looked up at Katara as she reappeared in front of his window. He prepared his staff, and at first, propelled himself in the air. He then lifted Katara from the window, holding her to him as he took off with his glider. Soon, they were soaring through the air.

"Where to, Katara?" he whispered, smiling gently at her as they flew. The attention of those on the street was grabbed by the flying couple, but Aang ignored them. Right now, he was drinking in the moment of closeness next to this beautiful girl that he knew he was falling for.

Katara

Katara's breath was taken away as she looked at the world below her. It had been over ten years since she had been out of that house, and now she was flying to boot? In a way, it was like all of her dreams were coming true at once.

As Aang asked her where they should go, Katara took a few seconds before replying. "I don't know, Aang. This is the first time I've been out in years... Take me to your favorite place in the city." Katara finally suggested.