The Date
At eight o’clock sharp, Zuko stepped carefully out into the street. Scanning the buildings around him, he found the surroundings surprisingly empty. Where was she? Maybe she’s forgotten. He could just turn around and walk back inside..
“Hey! Well, look at you.. you look so cute.”
Zuko turned quickly at the sound of the peasant/spy’s voice. Her hair was different than usual, pulled up into a ponytail. He noticed her robe seemed more.. full? He looked at her, momentarily disoriented by her different appearance. Maybe it was a body double… What was her name, Jin? Maybe she’s got a sister… an evil sister. Zuko knew all about those.
Suddenly the Jin clone reached towards his face, and before he had a chance to react she was thrusting her fingers into his hair, flipping it back and forth.
All he could think of was how oily his scalp was... She must be so disgusted! He flung her hand away, touching him head to find the hair had returned to is usual messy state. It didn’t feel quite as oily as he thought it would be.. maybe his hair was as dry as Uncle said it was. “Prince Zuko,” he had told Zuko as he scrubbed soapy water into his scalp, “always take good care of your hair. You never know when you may loose it.” Iroh had tapped his widening forehead and grinned at his nephew. Crazy old man.
He wondered what Jin was thinking, but didn’t really want to ask. “It took my Uncle ten minutes to do my hair,” he complained, hoping that would explain the dorky, oily coif. He finally looked down at the girl, but she was just smiling that inane smile at him. Then she grabbed his arm, squeezing it to her chest (ample, was that the word?) and started tugging. As she dragged him farther into the street, he looked back at the teashop, hoping Uncle Iroh might open the door and tell him it was a mistake.
No one opened the door.
“Hey! Well, look at you.. you look so cute.”
Zuko turned quickly at the sound of the peasant/spy’s voice. Her hair was different than usual, pulled up into a ponytail. He noticed her robe seemed more.. full? He looked at her, momentarily disoriented by her different appearance. Maybe it was a body double… What was her name, Jin? Maybe she’s got a sister… an evil sister. Zuko knew all about those.
Suddenly the Jin clone reached towards his face, and before he had a chance to react she was thrusting her fingers into his hair, flipping it back and forth.
All he could think of was how oily his scalp was... She must be so disgusted! He flung her hand away, touching him head to find the hair had returned to is usual messy state. It didn’t feel quite as oily as he thought it would be.. maybe his hair was as dry as Uncle said it was. “Prince Zuko,” he had told Zuko as he scrubbed soapy water into his scalp, “always take good care of your hair. You never know when you may loose it.” Iroh had tapped his widening forehead and grinned at his nephew. Crazy old man.
He wondered what Jin was thinking, but didn’t really want to ask. “It took my Uncle ten minutes to do my hair,” he complained, hoping that would explain the dorky, oily coif. He finally looked down at the girl, but she was just smiling that inane smile at him. Then she grabbed his arm, squeezing it to her chest (ample, was that the word?) and started tugging. As she dragged him farther into the street, he looked back at the teashop, hoping Uncle Iroh might open the door and tell him it was a mistake.
No one opened the door.