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

Aang

Aang noticed the look of worry on her face, of fear again. He knew that there was something going on in that house that shouldn't be, but he didn't want to assume. Or bring it up, especially not bring it up.

"Hello, Katara."

His smile was gentle, but questioning. He had this sudden urge to rescue her from that place, the princess in the tower, being held by a dragon. Now, who was the dragon?

Katara

Katara blushed as Aang said her name. It had been almost nine years since she had last made a new human connection with someone. "Are you a Waterbender too?" Katara asked suddenly. "I'm sorry if it's a personal question, it's just, I saw you earlier..."

Aang

Aang liked her blush; she seemed to shy, though, so not used to this kind of contact.

"Oh, no," he replied, slightly embarrassed. "It's alright. I'm actually an airbender."

Katara

"Wow, really? I didn't know that there were any Airbenders in Ba Sing Se." Katara replied, slightly in awe with the boy. "Does that mean that you can...fly?" Katara asked with a hopeful and slightly desperate tone to her voice.

Aang

Aang supposed airbenders weren't all that common, but he was sort of flattered, overwhelmed, by her awe.

"Well... sort of," he replied to her question. Flying... it looked like that would be something she'd definitely want to do. He could hear the hope, and the desperation in her voice. He felt a sudden urge to show her what it was like, gliding through the skies. He wondered if he could.

"I could show you sometime."

Aang

Aang supposed airbenders weren't all that common, but he was sort of flattered, overwhelmed, by her awe.

"Well... sort of," he replied to her question. Flying... it looked like that would be something she'd definitely want to do. He could hear the hope, and the desperation in her voice. He felt a sudden urge to show her what it was like, gliding through the skies. He wondered if he could.

"I could show you sometime."

Katara

Katara smiled nervously as Aang offered to show her how to fly. "Thanks, I'd really like that and all. But....I'm not allowed to leave."

Aang

Aang looked at her, somewhat puzzled, but it all seemed to tie together now.

"Oh... I'm sorry," he said. He wanted to offer to help her escape, but it seemed somewhat conspirational. And now, he realized, he didn't care.

"Would you... like to leave?" he asked, lowering his voice.

Katara

Katara gasped for a second at the boy's question, taken off guard as her mind began to consider the possibilities. "It wouldn't be right....Ozai's been taking care of me almost my whole life. And my room and things are here. I don't really remember ever being outside of this place. Leaving would just be....wonderful." Katara's tone and message completely changed as she looked down at Aang.

"Yes....I'd like to leave with you." Katara answered, laughing in spite of herself.

Aang

Aang listened to Katara answer in anticipation, listened to her rant, as she considered the possibilities. He wanted her to leave with him. He felt... such a strong, immediate feeling for her. And it looked like she was more a prisoner, than anythign else. He felt a smile grow on his face as her message changed, as her hesitation left her.

"I will help you as soon as I can."

Ozai, Zhao

"What is going on here?" Judge Ozai demanded as he and Police Chief Zhao stormed over to his house. Ozai took another look at Aang before glancing up at Katara.

"Who is this boy, Katara? Is he troubling you?"

Kya hissed at Ozai and Zhao as they came over and she walked off. She muttered to herself again, glancing back at them.

"People. Bad, bad people," she said to herself softly. Then she disappeared around a corner.

Katara

"No, Ozai, he just wanted directions to a good Tea Shop. I was just about to tell him that he should get some more help from someone else." Katara replied, meaning two things at once.

Aang

Aang watched the beggar woman go by, muttering to herself, hissing at whom I assumed was the judge, and someone else. Perhaps the police chief. He tried to remain composed for Katara, sensing something could go very wrong, with the wrong words.

"...he should get some help from someone else."

He knew Katara's words had a double meaning, and nodded.

"Um, thank you. I will do that," he said, and began to walk away cautiously.

Ozai

"Next time you get lost around here boy, I'll have you arrested for disturbing the peace!" Ozai bellowed as Aang walked away. He looked back up at Katara and smiled at her.

"I am sorry he troubled you, my dear. I assure you, it will never happen again."

Zhao, meanwhile, excused himself, saying he had forgotten something at the market.

((Say, CS, where did Zuko go again?))

((Zuko wandered off to find some place to train for his firebending. Unless you want him to come back... I was thinking it could lead to a way for Toph to get introduced, though.))

Aang

Aang swallowed, not cringing as he continued to walk on. It was not an empty threat from the man, he wa sure. It was strange, the way the man addressed his ward. He would most definitely get more help for her. He was determined to help her escape.

Zuko

Zuko wandered the streets of Ba Sing Se, racking his brain for any place that was more remote. He figured his father would be home by now. He was grateful he'd managed to avoid him today, or, at least for now...

Katara

"Oh don't worry Ozai, he didn't mean any harm. Just another Naive traveler." Katara told Ozai after Aang had left. She didn't want the judge to be suspicious of anything, because then she would definitely be watched, or worse. He would bar her window up again like it had been until three years ago.
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Bato

"Well then, you two are ready to advertise the product, no?" Bato asked Sokka and Toph as they stood in his tent. It was only five minutes until showtime, and there was already a crowd waiting outside, Bato knew.
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Hakoda

Hakoda was walking with Ursa down the street, discussing the details of his plans for revenge with her as they walked into a crowd. "What's all this then?" Hakoda asked as he looked at all the eagerly waiting citizens.

((All of the characters currently have British accents in my head now.))

Zuko

Zuko was searching around, when he saw a crowd blocking a space on the street. He silently cursed and tried to get around, to no avail.

"This is ridiculous," he muttered to himself.

Sokka

Sokka nodded, preparing himself, and adjusting the wig of dark, silky hair he had for this act. He could hear the crowd gathered outside of the tent, waiting in expectation for this fraud he unfortunately worked for. But, if they wanted a show, he would give them a show. And so would Toph. She was even better at it than he was.

Toph grinned at Bato's question. She was ready of course. She could hear the people outside the tent, feel their vibrations as they shuffled waiting for the show to begin. It amused her how easily fooled people were.

Ozai

"Even so, he had no right to bother you. Rest assured Katara, it shall never happen again." Ozai said, smiling at her. Though his smile was far from one a father might give his child.

Ursa

"I think I remember hearing something about this earlier." Ursa commented. "Something about some fancy barber from the far south coming to sell his miracle product, I think."

(Me too. Except for Toph. I still think her's is scottish.)

Katara

Katara stopped herself from shivering as she smiled in return to Ozai. "Well...I'll see you at dinner then." She replied before taking a step back into her room.
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Hakoda

"Hmm...a con man no doubt."
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Bato

"Excellent, excellent. Sokka, now you go. Toph will come within five minutes time."

((Haha, now I'm going to hear her like that...))

Sokka

Sokka gave a curt nod and proceeded to the outside. He slapped on a large smile and began to advertise Bato's most recent product. Bato's Miracle Elixir. The biggest fraud, it was. But he had to sell it.

(Sorry. But it will make this RP that much more enjoyable.)

Bato

"Good, good. Toph, be prepared to make your move sooner then expected. There are a few....bad customers. We would not want the crowd disliking us now because of them."
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Hakoda

Hakoda snorted as he saw a young boy walk out onto the platform. It was obvious to the man that this kid was wearing a wig. No one of Water Tribe descent had hair like that.

((It definitely will. XD))

Sokka

"Can you relate to that humiliating experience of waking up with your pillow full of hair? If you have, well, you must have some of Bato's Miracle Elixir. See this head of hair I have? Before Bato's elixir, it was almost gone."

He shook it a little in the crowd, showing its unnatural length and sheen. Many were buying it, but he could tell a few didn't believe him.

"It's also very popular with the ladies," he said, looking over at a few females in the crowd, who seemed to enjoy him. He hoped Toph would be out soon. She was better at this. His eyes subconciously fell on the spot where the ones who were figuring out the scam were located.

Zuko

Zuko wanted to push through the crowd and get through, but didn't want to draw attention to himself. So he slowly made his way forward, in order to be one of the first one's out when this little show was over.

Hakoda

Hakoda accepted one of the bottles that were being passed around, quickly opening it and taking a whiff of the scent. The Barber's nose wrinkled up in disgust as he passed it to Ursa. "It smells like piss. Piss and ink."