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

Ursa

"When she arrived at the Judge's home, there was a ball going on. They were all in masks, and Kya knew no one there. They tormented her all throughout the evening, eventually driving Kya to drink. At one point she shouted, asking for Ozai. Ah, but he was there all along, but not ready to apologize at all. He had his friends surround her, Ozai cornered her, and well...I don't think I need to tell you what happened next. And all throughout it, the people there just laughed at her, thinking she was so foolish to trust the judge." Ursa said.

Hakoda

Hakoda's hands tightened as Ursa went on, eventually crushing the pie in his hands as she finished. "So he raped the poor woman...and then killed her?" Hakoda inquired after rubbing the disgusting substance off of his hands.

Ursa

"No. He cast Kya away like some old rag. The Judge took her children, her house, everything. She ended up poisoning herself. I tried to stop her, but she'd hear none of it." Ursa said, with some sorrow in her tone. "It really is a shame. She and her husband were nice people, too. Men like Ozai are the worst this world has to offer. I should know that, considering he used to be my husband."

Ursa noticed that he crushed the pie, but didn't comment on it. It was hard to blame him, after all. They were quite bad. But still, his reaction was rather...interesting.

Hakoda

Hakoda listened to the rest of the story, an intense look in his eyes. After almost half a minute of silence, Hakoda's hands slammed into the table, emotions raging within him. "So he drove her to commit suicide, then took Salil and Katara?"

Ursa

"It's you, isn't it? Nanuk." Ursa suddenly blurted. His reaction now was more than enough to make her believe it was that nice young court guard she once knew. The years had changed him so much. What did they do to him in the Boiling Rock?

Hakoda

Hakoda stood up as Ursa recognized him, contemplating whether or not he should leave. But as Hakoda looked at Ursa, he realized this woman didn't mean him any harm. "I used to be Nanuk." Hakoda answered before inhalinhg and exhaling deeply. "But I changed, in the boiling rock. Please, call me Hakoda."

Ursa

"Very well...Hakoda. Yes, Ozai took Kya's kids. He took Katara in as his own daughter, though he tried to have Salil killed. The boy ended up living on the streets, and disappeared. He could be dead, for all I know." Ursa answered. So, it was him! After all these years, Nanuk had returned to Ba Sing Se.

Hakoda

Hakoda bit his lip as he heard Ursa continue on about his children. "Well then, Ursa, I think I'd like to rent the Apartment upstairs."

Ursa

"Of course! Though, what will you do for a job?" Ursa asked. Wonderful! Finally, she could get someone to take that apartment upstairs. Now she could earn some more money to get by.

Hakoda

"Barbering." Hakoda answered matter-of-factly before explaining, "I began cutting and shaving the Prison Guard's for special treatment, became quite good at it over time. I think it's the perfect skill for me to get my revenge."

Aang

Her voice alone was captivating. Aang looked up, trying to follow her gaze. It was fixed upon some birds, far in the sky. And then, she began to bend... a waterbender. He could tell she hadn't trained very much, but the wistful way she looked out at the sky made him figure the reasons why. But then, she did see him, sending the water to the ground.

He mouthed an apology, not wanting to have startled her. He used his airbending to send it back toward the birds, as quickly as possible. He wondered why she was locked up in that room. If she needed help...

He looked over at the beggar woman for earlier.

"Excuse me, could you tell him whose home that is?" he said, gesturing toward the house in which the beautiful waterbender resided.

Ursa

"You want to kill Ozai, don't you?" Ursa asked. She smiled a moment later. "Well, I certainly won't stop you. He's a horrible man, who shouldn't even be a judge. Whatever he gets, he's had it coming to him for a long time.

Hakoda

"Judge Ozai, Police Chief Zhao, and whoever else is responsible for ruining my life and the lives of my family." Hakoda answered.
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Katara

Katara backed up as the young man in the street mouthed an apology at her. But as she looked out the window, she noticed the water fly back up towards the birds. "He's a Bender too!" Katara realized as she continued to stare out at the sky.

Zuko

He had half of bag packed, half of it still in his dresser, just in case he ever got the chance to go. Today, Zuko had missed yet another ship out of this place. Somehow, something always held him back, kept him from going. Directly above him, he could hear the usual silence of his father's ward. Sometimes she sang. Both of them disgusted him. But why didn't he just allow himself to leave. He closed the bag and stored it beneath his bed, and decided to go somewhere to train. He hoped he wouldn't run into his father or his sister along the way.

Aang

Aang awaited the woman's response. Although it had been awkward earlier, it seemed she had been in this city for a very long time. It seemed the girl in the window was not quite as startled anymore. It seemed they shared a common interest.

Ursa

"Well, you have my blessing. Those two are the most corrupted and vile men in Ba Sing Se. They've needed to be done away with for years. And it'll be easy, too. What with your profession, and all." Ursa said. It occured to her that she should tell Hakoda about Kya, how she was actually alive. She hadn't really been lying before, Hakoda had just reached his own conclusions. Still...

Well, Kya wasn't really herself anymore. It'd be better for him to remember her as she was, not as Kya is now, Ursa reasoned. Besides, what harm would come from not telling him?

"So, what now?"

"Oh that? She's Katara. Lives with Judge Ozai," Kya said, actually smiling at the girl. "Sweet girl too. Why do you want to know? You like her or something?"

Hakoda

"First thing's first, we get the apartment ready for business." Hakoda replied as he pulled a small shaving knife out of his pocket. He had stolen it from the head Prison Guard as he was escaping the boiling rock. It was made of pure Silver, probably worth a fair bit of money. But Hakoda didn't intend to sell it. He was going to use this knife to carve out his revenge.

Aang nodded.

"Thank you," he replied. Now he was feeling a little bit more curious about the girl. He looked over at the front of the house, at its entrance, and wondered if he should approach it. Just then, another, older guy stepped out, heading for somewhere away from the house. Was he the judge? No, he seemed a little too young. He walked back over to the window and looked up at the girl in the window again.

Katara

Katara scanned the area nervously as she made sure that none of Ozai's goons were watching. After she was sure that things were clear, Katara waved for the young boy to come closer.

Aang started closer toward the girl in the window. He wondered what sort of message she could have for him. He had this suspicion that there was something fishy going around inside of that house. He stared up at her, his eyes questioning.

Katara

Katara looked down at the boy and was struck by how innocent he looked. "....Can you tell me what your name is?" She asked quietly, feeling very vulnerable as she spoke.

Aang could hear the vulnerability in her voice, as though she were scared. As though something might happen if she was caught speaking to him.

"Aang," he replied to her, gently, as quietly as he could with her still being able to hear.

Katara

Katara glanced back at her bedroom door to make sure that it was closed, turning back to Aang right after. "Hello Aang. Its nice to meet you." She replied, smiling at the boy.

Aang

Aang smiled up at her.

"It's nice to meet you, too. What's your name, if I can ask?"

He knew that the beggar woman had already told him, but he wanted to hear it from her; and he also didn't want to sound too much like a stalker by addressing her by a name that, as far as she knew, he didn't know.

Katara

Katara bit her lip as she contemplated whether or not tell the boy. If she told him, and Ozai found out, he might have her locked in the room for a week again. But he seemed nice...and trustworthy too.

"...I'm Katara."