A Penny Stolen Is A Penny Earned <Ba Sing Se, EK>

[raisa]

Raisa gasped in a cross between inruriation and sadness, shaking her head she looked at the fifteen peices.
"Absolutely not, that is far to low, twen-" she stopped when the shopkeep addressed the man. She would have been very upset at his interuption if she hadn't been wondering the same thing. The man was fairly big, what could he possibly have been afraid of?
"Yes, what exactly are you hiding from?" she said, her town a little less inquistive and a little more intrusive than the shopkeepers. She turned in her chair with a single hand on her hip as she looked at his half hidden form. 'how childish,' she thought, a full grown man hiding from things, even as a woman Raisa had little to hide from here in the city.
"Come on, speak up mister, I have business to do and unless you're going to pay for my things I suggest you spit it out," Raisa felt a bit bad about being so straight forward with the man, but she left a lot of her manners behind in the fire that was her home.

[erlang]

((Shoulda posted this earlier.. do to various probs I don't think I'll be posting for a while so you may just wanna pretend erl was never there X,x))

[shuzu]

Shu-zu wasn’t surprised at all at the girl refusing his offer, he had figured as much. Her tone was slowly turning from sad and quiet to irritated and angry. If he didn’t want a benevolent customer, he would have to think of something soon. He finally just chose to leave the man in the corner alone, and turned to face the girl once again. “Let’s just leave that man alone, he is causing us no harm.”

Slowly sliding his fingers along the small metal pieces, Shu-zu plucked five more pieces out of the ones in his hand and placed them down on the table. “Fine, I will offer you twenty pieces, but I will not budge anymore. If you don’t like my pricing, you can sell them somewhere else.” He looked down at his small leather pouch for holding the gold and thought about the gold he was losing by doing this. He really did like 100% profit much better.

[raisa]

Raisa looked at the other man a minute longer before she turned her head away and back to business. She watched he blunk another five coins down on the counter and she heaved a sigh, a long sad sigh.

"Twenty peices will do I guess," she wanted to cry, it was a feeling she had become almost accustomed to ever since her fathers death only months earlier. She looked at hr things laying on the counter next to the twenty coins, this was what she, a great dancer, was reduced too.

"Have you ever lost everything?" she asked in a small voice, she didn't look up at the man, just stared absent-mindedly down at the exchange in front of her. For a girl who had always been so sure of herself she felt completely different, like she wasn't even herself anymore, but someone totally different. She supposed it was only natural, her home was gone, her father was gone, and now she was selling the only things she had left of her previous life. She finally took her eyes off the counter and looked up at the man with sad, blank eyes and she waited for a response.

[shuzu]

Shu-zu looked down at the small glass items, and with one hand, swooped them up and put them on a shelf behind him, and with the other, stacked the twenty gold pieces and held them out in his hand for her to grab. “Glad to do business with you, ma’am.” Then, figuring she would leave, he noticed that she had chosen to stay and start conversation. He supposed that he could stay and talk, so he sat back down on his stool.

“Have I ever lost everything? Well, not particularly, it’s more like I used to have nothing and got everything.” Waving his hands around the room, showing just what he had gotten, Shu-zu continued to talk, “I started this shop up with the last of my money, and now I am getting more money by the day.” Then, looking down and seeing the sadness in her eyes, he asked, “I get the impression that you are a person who has lost everything, do you mind telling me how?”

[raisa]

She continued to look at him in silence for a moment. "I get the impression that you are a person who has lost everything, do you mind telling me how?” he said and for one of the first times in her life she felt like it would be a good thing to divulge her past.

"I used to be a dancer," she said, a small smile pulling across her lips, her eyes still held by sadness. She remembered vividly the well lit tea house and the platform she had preformed on so many times. “in a tea house,” she wanted to cry so much but she bit her lip a little to try keeping the tears in, “My family had owned that house for centuries, it was in Omashu. They let us keep it even after the Fire nation came in,” a single tear escaped and ran in a slow, steady stream down her cheek. “I was engaged you know, he was a Soldier, for the Fire Nation, but he was the nicest man I had ever known,” she thought of Qui Ling, her fondness of him still hadn’t left like she had hoped it would. “What do you think of the Fire Nation?” She asked looking up at the man, she didn’t even know his name and she was just spewing out her life story and for some reason that didn’t bother her.

[shuzu]

Shu-zu silently wondered whether or not this strange girl would even tell him anything, but that fleeting thought was brushed away quickly as the girl practically spewed her life story at him. Shu-zu noticed that it was paining her to mention these events, especially when she mentioned her Fire Nation fiancé. He did hold some sympathy for her; he knew exactly what it was like to have the Fire Nation in your own home.

So, when she asked what he thought of the Fire Nation, it was a little hard not to get worked up. Restraining his speech and actions as much as possible, Shu-zu started to talk, “Well, when it comes to the Fire Nation, I just wish they would leave. I mean, they steal our resources and labor, and what do we get in return? Fear and pain, that’s what.” He was getting worked up, so he forced himself to calm down. Ironically enough, if the war did end, and the Fire Nation left, he would be unemployed. He chuckled quietly to himself, thinking that however much he hated the Fire Nation, once it was gone, he would miss the business it gave him.

[raisa]

"Well, when it comes to the Fire Nation, I just wish they would leave. I mean, they steal our resources and labor, and what do we get in return? Fear and pain, that’s what," The man seemed very adiment when he spoke and though it was obvious he wasn't the Fire Nations biggest fan there was something in his voice that didn't hate absolutely everything about them.

"I hear most people think like that," she said and it was true in all her time out of Omashu she had never heard a single good word about the Fire Nation, "In Omashu it is actually quite rare to hear people hating the Fire Nation. Sure, we don't love them, but I don't know, my father always said 'Business is Business leave the rest up to politics,' he was a wise man," she smiled when she mentioned her father, it was the first time in months that his memory had given her a smile. "It's a pity really, the misunderstandings," the slow, silent stream of tears that had worked a path down her cheeks was flowing steadily with fresh tears, "My father worked faithful in Omashu for years, our teahouse was fairly popular even among many of the new Fire Nation colonists that had moved in and some of the soldiers," she smiled remebering the brightly lit room, it was hard to beleive that was all gone now.

"Have you ever been to a truely fine teahouse?" she asked, he ddin't look like he had, but Raisa wasn't much for judging, "one with dancers I mean, I don't think you can truely appreciate dance like it unless you've witnessed it for yourself," she waited in silence for a respeonse, the small smile that had creeped onto her lips well in place.

[shuzu]

Shu-zu was still worried that he had gone too far in what he had said, but he brushed the thought aside. After all, that is what most people thought of the Fire Nation anyways. His eyebrow quirked a bit at the mention of the things the Omashu citizens believed. They didn’t mind the Fire Nation? How could that be? He could somewhat agree, however, with the ideals her father had about business. He could agree that business and politics should be separate, normally. Shu-zu was, of course, the exception that proved the rule, but he nodded silently anyways.

Her face seemed to show many emotions while she talked. Happiness, sorrow, remembrance, and other emotions crossed her face while she continued to confide in him. She then asked him about a teahouse. Sure, he had been to a teahouse, but nothing fancy. A teahouse with dancers? He silently wondered how that would be, for he hadn’t danced or seen a dancer in a long time. “I haven’t been to one with dancers, but it definitely seems like somewhere I would like to be.”

[raisa]

Raisa smiled a little, she wasn't really surprised that the shopkeeper hadn't been to a teahouse with dancers. That kind of entertainment was few and far between these days, but it was still possibly the most amazing thing in her opinion. She slide off her stool and stood back from the counter and reached behind her. Tucked into the back of her obi were her two fans, she had carried them with her ever since she left Omashu. The cherry wood and the pink painted fabric was all that was left of her father, they were the one gift he had given specially to her.

"According to my grandfather, having dancers in a teahouse was sure to bring good luck as well as attract good business," she said and she flicked her wristes and the fans flipped out, spreading the decorated fabric taute between the spines, "Most teahouses are fairly simple these days though, not many of the owners are blessed with as many daughters as my father was. Dancing has run in my family and becuase of it my fathers teahouse prospered. People would come from miles around to see me and my sisters dance."

Raisa closed her eyes, visions of the ambiant lit teahouse flooding her mind. The slightly raised floor that always served as her stage was encompassed with lanterns so she could be seen. As she remebered the dances she used to preform in her ornate gown and make-up she slowly moved through the steps in the middle of the shop.
"Dancing was like a second nature, as natural as eating or sleeping," she moved through the steps, flipping her fans this way and that and occasionally throuwing them into the air then catching them, all with her eyes closed.

[shuzu]

What had started out as a simple pawning off of a few trinkets had turned into a conversaiton. And now, it had turned into a dancing demonstration? Shu-zu watched the dance silently, watched the fans swirl and fly and glide. It was truly beautiful, but not exactly the type of dancing that a guy could get up and do too. Shee seemed as though she was going through a pattern, yet, it all also seemed freestyle. She must be very good to make it up on the spot and make it seem rehearsed.

It was cool, but frankly, didn't hold Shu-zu's attention for long. He started to get bored, and just then did he realize that he had meant to close up the shop awhile ago. Realizing that after this girl left, he would also have to do some last minute closing things before he could go to sleep, he made a gesture with his hands, telling her to stop. He then yawned, for he was pretty tired, "Thank you, but it is late, and I am tired. Sorry to cut our conversation short. Now, if you'll please, gather your things and leave, I must close the shop." He stood from his stool, ready to follow the girl out and put his closed sign in the window when she left.

[raisa]

Raisa blushed a bit when he stopped her and asked her to leave. She wasn't much for conversation normally, but she had given this man her life story in a matter of mere minutes and now she had over done it. She repremanded herself for being so friendly, especially to a guy how clearly didn't want her company.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to take up your time," She moved past him back to the stool she had been sitting on and grabbed the small, nearly empty sack, in her free hand and moved toward the door. She was to embarresed to even look at the man, she had been the most sappy and boring person in the past hour or so and she cringed inside to imagine it.

AS she opened the door the night sky showed her just how late it was and she knew her mother would be worried. She looked behind her at the man, on last glance at the person she had poured her heart out to. She shook her head and darted up the road, well darted as well as one could in a yukata which looked more like a very fast and clumsy walk. She was streets away before she slowed down and actually set out for her sisters and mother with a few coins and her memories fresh in her mind.

((Raisa has left the thread))

[shuzu]

Shu-zu was mildy happy as the young woman seemed to oblige by his request and leave the shop. She merely gathered her things and set off. He was sure to replace the stool she had been using back to its usual spot behind the dusty counter. He followed her to the door and gave a small smile to assure he did enjoy her company a bit. He looked to his left and noticed that the man had gone, leaving the two gold pieces on the windowsill.

He merely walked over, grabbed the two pieces, and replaced the sign in the window. Makura Sundries was officially closed for the night. He went back into his shop to do some last minute errands and thought of the girl. Tasting a bit of regret, he simply thought... This was good bartering practice... but maybe I should have given her real coins... After all, when he lost his job due to the war ending, he would need to learn how to barter. He shrugged and continued with his work, it couldn't be helped.

Shu-zu has officially conned left the thread