Open Shop <Ba Sing Se, Earth Kingdom>

[yuudai]

The ease that had settled in his bones brought a smile and a slight laugh to him when the girl started shaking her hands and rambling. He cocked his head to the side like a little boy and watched her. "Well, I'm not quite sure what you mean, but we'll accept the kindness with open arms." Hiromi placed his left hand on the counter, stretching out the arm the Paku-To was perched on, the animal took the hint and scuttled onto the counter. When his arm was free he proceeded to remove his bracelets and circlet. He placed them on the counter over the coins and Paku-To batted at them curiously. When he had finished he looked back at her, jewelry free now. "Oh! Its still raining! You're welcomed to stay here until the rain eases up, Prince Hiromi!" He nodded.
"I will gladly accept your invitation to stay, but i have to insist that you no longer address me as Prince. I am revoking the title, I can't possible think to carry the title of prince when my life is indebted to a commoner," These words would have been scathing from the old Hiromi, but they came out soft and almost happy. He didn't regret indenting himself to her, in fact he was glade he would be ride of his old life.

[nozomi]

She watched, flabbergasted, as he began to remove his jewelry. Her eyes widened more and more, as the gold and royal bracelets were set onto the counter over the coins. The word 'No' was the only thing that crossed her mind. What had she done? What was he doing? He looked back at her when he was finished. "I will gladly accept your invitation to stay, but i have to insist that you no longer address me as Prince. I am revoking the title, I can't possible think to carry the title of prince when my life is indebted to a commoner," Her smile, which had surprisingly managed to stay glued to her face as her eyes had grown as wide as tea-cups, faltered before slowly falling into a pursed line. She didn't know how to take that statement. He had said it with such a care-free tone, she wondered if this was really the prince that had walked through her door only moments before. Surely it couldn't be. Before she could open her mouth, a shout came from the level above the shop, startling Nozomi from her reverie. It was Fai, the store owner's husband who was supposed to be in bed. He had been ill for a few days with a pained back.

Nozomi looked up at the cieling, curious. Then she turned back to Prince-- He revoked the title, her brain reminded her-- Hiromi. She bowed swiftly. "Excuse me a moment..." She turned on her heels and disappeared behind the door once more behind the counter, rushing up the steps. A few minutes later, perhaps ten, she returned her face red. Fai was so senile and old. He had been worried about her cries downstairs, and had come up with far-fetched stories as to why she was crying out. Nozomi was utterly embarassed, even though Hirami hadn't heard any of them. And thank goodness! Nozomi had told Fai that there was just an old customer stopped by and they had been talking, and that he should get back in bed with some tea.

Nozomi had returned with a stool for Hiromi and she set it down by the counter, and then she walked to her place behind the counter and sat down. She didn't say anything a moment, and then she looked up with that bright smile, "You must not be from Ba Sing Se," she said, trying to work up some conversation, "How are you liking your stay?"

[yuudai]

When the girl left he crossed his arms on the counter and layed his head on them looking at Paku-To.
"You're to smart for your own good, Paku-To," He said with a faint lazy smile on his face while the cat owl bat at his hair.
The girl came back a little while later and set a stool beside him. He gave a low bow and sat, sitting up straight now; petting Paku-To's head.
"You must not be from Ba Sing Se. How are you liking your stay?" She finally said, when she spoke he rose his eyes from the cat owl to Nozomi.
"You're right, I'm not from Ba Sing Se, in fact this is my first time in the city. I'm from Zhy, it is quieter there, but I think I like it here better. Your city has been kind to me and has given me the oppertunity to do things I should have always done." He was talking about taking charge of his life. He looked at her, she didn't look like she was a city girl so he felt obliged to keep the conversation going. "How about you?"

[nozomi]

His eyes had lifted from his new pet to her, and she fiddled with the sleeves of her shirt quietly, not meeting his eyes until he spoke. "You're right, I'm not from Ba Sing Se, in fact this is my first time in the city. I'm from Zhy, it is quieter there, but I think I like it here better. Your city has been kind to me and has given me the opportunity to do things I should have always done." She looked back up at his words and studied him. She had been right, then, he hadn't even lived near Ba Sing Se. He was from Zhy; she remembered stories her brother used to tell her of Zhy (as he had done to Ba Sing Se). He told her that if Nozomi ever wanted to start a shop all her own, to head to Zhy. "Business is best started there," he had said with a brisk nod of his head. That had been Nozomi's plan, until she had met Jiro, that is.

"How about you?" She had been looking down again in thought, and at his words she looked up, a bit startled. But then she smiled kindly. "You're right," she said, echoing his own words, "I must not look like a bright and intelligent city-girl yet. I'm from Kei Lan. I grew up on a farm there with my mother and brother." Her smile grew, "I guess that's where I started my love for animals, was there." She paused and then she leaned forward in her set, propping her elbow on the counter and her chin in her hand, gazing just past Hiromi's left ear in thought. "But you wouldn't want to hear about that," she said, her smile still in place. That's when she looked back at him. "You traveled here, yes? Was it a beautiful trip?" She had changed the subject non-too-smoothly, but it would have to do.

[yuudai]

Hiromi smiled; he caught her drift and went with the flow. She obviously didn't want to talk about her family, so the new him had to respect that.
"I wouldn't know whether it was a beautiful trip or not, i took it behind curtains," He puffed his chest out mockingly and put his hand to his heart, "Royalty is not supposed to reveal its face to the public unless it has been properly announced," His voice was a deep mocking tone and when he was done he gave out a laugh. It was indeed something his father had said and now that Hiromi said it to himself he couldn't believe how pompous it sounded. He sighed with a choking laugh behind it then continued ion a normal voice. "I would love to see it, it is incredibly amazing that I have traveled all the way from Zhy and not a speck of wildlife was I allowed to study or even look at for that matter," He realized what he said then, scratching the back of his head in mild embarrassment he continued to explain, "It may not seem very princely, but i love to study plants. My grandmother taught me a lot about wildlife and I always thought I would travel the Earth Kingdom studying all kinds of different plants; I guess that's kind of a silly dram, huh?" now that he said it out loud it did sound very silly, you couldn't live off the knowledge of flowers and they didn't talk to you, but he was fascinated all the same.

[nozomi]

"Royalty is not supposed to reveal its face to the public unless it has been properly announced," he had puffed out his chest, speaking of how he didn't see the scenary. Nozomi looked down at her hands in her lap, thinking of how dreary and boring it must've been; traveling for so long, and not being able to see everything around you. He laughed and she jumped slightly and looked at him in bewilderment, and then she smiled kindly and chuckled as well. He said something and scratched the back of his head in embarassment, and then he continued to explain what he meant and Nozomi smiled and nodded. "It may not seem very princely, but I love to study plants. My grandmother taught me a lot about wildlife and I always thought I would travel the Earth Kingdom studying all kinds of different plants; I guess that's kind of a silly dream, huh?"

"Oh, no!" she said wildly, waving her hands in front of her as if to briskly shoo his words away. "Its not silly at all!" She leaned forward and looked him right in the eye. "You shouldn't call a dream silly," she said, and then, with a deep voic she mimicked what her brother had once told her, "If you believe it, You can achieve it." She laughed at how cliche it sounded, and leaned back in her stool, her fingers interlocking with each other in her lap. She fiddled her thumbs, gazing at them as she spoke. "I don't think its silly at all. And now that you've denounced your title, you could really travel all over the nation looking and studying plants. Nobody to follow you or anything." She looked up with a warm, encouraging smile.

[yuudai]

Hiromi had a slight smile on his face, glad that she didn't think studying plants was silly, but he still knew it was impossible for now.
"It is true i have self-denounced my title, but my father wont give up so easily. As long as I have the royal family's blood in me I'm a slave basically. He would never allow a member of the royal family to wonder the countryside like a basic commoner, according to him that would soil the family name and we mystn't do that," the last part was mocking, but not the pompous mocking of earier, it was more sad because it was true. "he will have his guards after me day and night, though it is nice to think that one day i really would be allowed to wonder-" His sentence was cut off by a loud banging at the door. The sound startled hiromi straight of his stool and onto the floor. Paku-To screeched loudly at the sound of banging which ceased moentarily when a voice spoke. "This is a Royal Search, please open your door or we will be forced to break in," It was a man's voice, one Hiromi knew all to well. It was one of the guards who had been with Hiromi earier that day before he had run off. Hiromi shot to his feet and turned to Nozomi with wide, almost horrified eyes. the banging continued with an occasional 'let us in' or 'please answer your door'
"Please, you have to hide me," he begged her quietly so that the guard wouldn't hear him, not that he could hear anything over his own banging. Hiromi looked up at Nozomi like a lost puppy looking for protection, which was almost exactly what he was. He waited scared wondering whether she would toss him to the guards or save him.

[nozomi]

Nozomi was getting ingrosed in the conversation. He spoke so...sadly. Somehow she managed to keep a small enough smile on her face for it not to be so bad. But still...wasn't roaylty or nobility supoosed to be easy and fun? She'd never spoken to nobility, except for the few that managed to find their way into the shop. But even then she was shed into the back of the store to stay out of the way. Was life really that teetering for them? For him? His father sounded so rude...so determined to destroy his son's life. Not knowing her own father, she wondered if this was normal. "...He would never allow a member of the royal family to wonder the countryside like a basic commoner, according to him that would soil the family name and we mustn't do that..." he said. Her eyes lowered to the table, despite his casual mocking of it, somehow it made her sad.

She didn't have her share in knowing a fatherly figure too well, unless you counted Fai-kun upstairs. But he was too old to be a father-ly figure...he was more of a grandfather to her than anything more. She loked down at the counter and fingered one of the papers there, her eyse not meeting his as she thought. "He will have his guards after me day and night, though it is nice to think that one day I really would be allowed to wonder-" She shut her eyes, and was just about to say something when a loud banging was heard at the door.

Her eyes snapped open just as Hiromi fell out of his seat. She paniked, looking over the counter with wide eyes. "Oh my goodness, are you alright!" She looked up at the door as the gaurds behind started speaking.

"This is a Royal Search, please open your door or we will be forced to break in," it was a man. Nozomi began to panic more. Which should she help more? The young man laying on her floor, or the gaurds who wanted the said young man to come with them. She stepped toward the door, paused, and turned back to Hiromi. He would be in danger of getting caught. And he had just renounced his name! But the gaurds. If she didn't answer it soon, Qi-san and Fai-kun wouldn't have a front door to open!

"J-Just a minute!" She called. "Please, you have to hide me," He was...begging her. Her eyes widened in surprise. He looked like a lost puppy, searching for a home. Her wide eyes softened and she smiled. "Of course," she said. She leaned down and grasped his hand in hers, pulling him up.

"Let us in! This is a Royal Search!"

"Just a minute, please! I have to put the animals up, or they will all escape!" They probably didn't care about that, and the aniamls were already put up anyways, but she needed an excuse. She pulled Hiromi behind her, into the back room. She looked around for a good hiding spot. Her smile was gone, her lips pulled down into a concentrated frown. They'll probably want to come back her to check. She looked up the wooden stairs leading into the housing area above the store in thought and then snapped her fingers.

"Follow," she said. She dragged him up the stairs and popped open the "trap door" and stepped up into the living room area of the housing.

"Nozomi-chan, is that you?" called Fai from the bedrooms.

"Yes, Fai-kun!"

"What's all that banging?"

"Nothing, Fai-kun, do not worry!" She turned to Hiromi behind her and said, "Gomen, Hiromi-san. Please stay here. They can't look up in my home without a warrant." She let go of his hand and stumbled back down the stairs, leaving him up stairs as she whisked away to the front of the store. She opened the door with a bright smile.

"Hello! Sorry, come in, please. I'm sorry to keep you out in the rain!" The gaurds gave her a strange look and she shrank back, before they walked into the store to begin their search.

[yuudai]

Hiromi didn't smile, but he was glade she had decided to help him. He followed her up into the apartment over the store and nodded to a sickly old man then turned back to Nozomi as she spoke. Gomen, Hiromi-san. Please stay here. They can't look up in my home without a warrant. He opened his mouth to speak, but she had closed the trap door before he could tell her; the Royal guard doesn't need a warrant, just having permission to conduct a Royal Search means they have access to ever part of the city, public and private. He stood and looked around the room, he had to have somewhere to hide. He looked around wildly until his eyes fell on a small window. He looked back at the old man as he opened the window, after putting his fingers to his lips to signify 'quiet' he slipped out into the rain. He could hear the guards down stairs, it sounded like Nozomi was trying to enforce her private apartment warrant idea, but steps on the ladder showed she had lost. He was gripping the window ledge with the tips of his fingers, the very tips of his boots balanced on a thin ledge. He moved one hand from the sill to the upper frame on the outside and closed part of the window then did the same for the other side. He looked to his left and right and realized there was no way he could stay standing on the ledge without the support of the window, fear enveloped him, was he going to be stuck her on the window sill before he fell or until the guards noticed? He was really beginning to worry when the low roof edge caught his attention. He stretched to grab it and once he had he hoisted his feet to balance on the upper frame where his hands had been; just as he was safe out of sight he heard the trap door open.

[nozomi]

The guards were circling the shop, looking in nooks and crannies, and sometimes the most ridiculous spots. Like under cages where the animals left their droppings, or under a chair. They looked under the counter, and opened cupboards along the walls. Nozomi, if she had been animated in any way, would have "sweat-dropped" at the insolent, dim-witted guards. I mean, how can a young man in his twenties fit under a cage? She felt her eye begin to twitch when they began pulling animals out of their cages and she finally forced her way into the search. "Excuse me," she said quite loudly. When they turned to look at her, she smiled brightly but said warningly, "Please, don't let out the animals. It would be quite a mess for all of us if you let all of them out at once, wouldn't it?"

Something in her tone must have told them that what she said was far from false so they placed the animals back in the cages and turned to one another. The leader of the group of Royal Guards noticed the door behind the counter and narrowed his eyes. "What's back there?"

Nozomi's eyes widened and she turned curiously. "Oh there?" She turned back to the men and gave them an innocent smile. "That's the back room; it holds all of our supplies and needs for the animals."

The leader shoved his way against her and made his way toward the door, opening it slowly. "Its really a mess back there," she tried.

"A better place to hide," one of the soldiers muttered as he passed her; eying Nozomi in a way that made her shudder and look away. The men entered the room and searched high and low, but no sign of the prince came up. Nozomi was about to think that the soldiers were just dumb enough to miss the ladder heading up to the trap door when suddenly the same soldier that had eyed her spoke up and pointed to the wooden door. "There's a ladder leading up, sir."

The leader turned to her suspiciously. "And there? What's up there?"

Nozomi felt her heart raced and she stepped in front of the ladder, as if blocking it with her own body. She looked down. "That is where the old couple that owns the store lives, Sir," she answered, "the man is sick in bed today. He is not to be disturbed."

"We'll just take a little peek," mocked the leader as he placed a hand on her shoulder to move her out of the way.

"What?!" Nozomi said in exasperation, "No! You need a warrant for this sort of search, Sir. You are breaking one of the most important laws in Ba Sing Se. I beg of you now, stop whilst you are ahead."

The men looked at her in bewilderment. "Don't you know, m'dear?" said the leader and he leaned forward so he was eye-level with her, "we are the Royal Guard. We have no need for such papers. Now...Out. Of. Our. Way!" He moved her aside and began up the stairs. Nozomi was near panic, trying to stop them from going up the ladder. They shoved her aside.

They were up the ladder and into the apartment by the time Nozomi made her way up. She shut her eyes tightly; waiting for the Royal Guard to usher the prince away. But no voice came of an order, and Nozomi entered the apartment with curious eyes. There was an argument going on, and it was between an old man, and the leader of the Guard.

"You get out of my home!" Fai-kun was saying, "Get out now, or I'll call the Dai Li!"

"Fai-kun!" she squeaked. The old man looked at her expectantly, pointing his cane at her. He had to use his cane in order to stand upright, his back was so bad.

"Nozomi, show these kind gentlemen out of our home and out of our shop at once." Nozomi bowed and stepped out of the way of the trap door.

"Now wait just a minute, old man," the leader said angrily, "We are on a royal search. We just have a few questions. Its dire that we get them answered."

Fai-kun stroked his chin. "Alright," he said, "ask away." Nozomi wanted to slap her palm against her face and drag it down. What was Fai-kun thinking?! They needed to get out of the house and quickly! She looked out the window, which was parted slightly. It should have been closed. Her eyes saddened. Poor Hiromi-chan must be freezing and wet, she thought. She held in a sigh.

[yuudai]

Hiromi was huddled on the slick roof tiles, cold and wet fingers gripping the thin edges. He had been out side for less than a few minutes and his clothes were already well past soaked through. Now in wet clothing he felt like he was trying to hold up double his weight. He shifted his position carefully, getting a better hold on the roof while trying not to make a sound. The voices of the people below him were muffled by the rain and the whistling of the wind; part of him was ready to give up and go back inside, saying that freedom wasn't worth freezing to death, but another part said it was and that part kept him where he was. He pressed he ear to the cold tiles and tried to block out the noise around him to hear what was going on, but it was no use. Again he had to shift position, this time ha tried to turn onto his back, his foot slipping and nearly sending him flying down two stories. After that he was alert and scared and he just hoped Nozomi would get rid of them soon.

[nozomi]

Nozomi managed not to roll her eyes at the old man that stood before the Royal Gaurd. He was complimenting them, and keeping them off track instead of actually answering questions. The head of the Gaurd was looking a little annoyed, actually, at trying to keep the old man from side-tracking his underlings. Nozomi was sitting in a chair by the kitchen of the small apartment, picking at a chopstick and gazing out the window. Was Hiromi-chan okay? She hoped he wouldn't catch cold out there.

Suddenly there was a shout and everything went quiet, making Nozomi's head to snap up and around to look at the group of men. The leader was poking Fai-kun in the chest, making the old man stumble backward uneasily on his cane. Nozomi was up in an instant, her eyes narrowed. "Hey!"

The leader ignored her and stepped toward the old man. "Stop changing the subject, old man. Just answer our questions, and we'll be out of your hair."

Fai-lkun rubbed his chest where the man had poked him with an indiferent look in his eye. "Fine. Come down to the shop with me. Nozomi, stay here."

"F-Fai-kun...you can't...go down the steps...you're back," Nozomi steped forward but Fai-Kun shot her a meaningful look and she stepped back and nodded. "Yes, I left the shop open," her eyes shadowed, "Please be careful down the steps, Fai-Kun." Then she smiled her bright smile and waved slightly. "It was a pleasure meeting you boys!"

The Royal Gaurd was obviously confused but they nodded and headed down the steps, one actually helped Fai-Kun down the steps hesitantly. Nozomi sighed as the trap door closed and then she spun around on her heels, clapping her hands together. She opened the window out to the rain and threw her head outside. "Hiromi-chan? Are you okay?" She looked around, but didn't see him. She began to get nervous.

[yuudai]

Hiromi was beginning to think he was going to be stuck on the roof forever when he heard the window open and Nozomi's voice. Finally, he thought carefully moving back towards the roofs edge where he had climbed up.
"Ms. Nozomi," he whispered over the rain as he stuck his head over the edge to see her head sticking out of the window. "Psst, up here," he said. He only now realized as he looked down there was no way he was getting down the same way he had gotten up, it was a miracle he hadn't fallen and broken his neck getting onto the wet roof and no if he tried to get down he would most certainly fall. "Are they gone yet?" he had to make sure they were actually gone before they started talking about a new way off the roof that wouldn't end in any broken bones.

[nozomi]

Nozomi was beginning to feel panic surge through her; her brilliant smile falling on dead weights when she did not see or hear Hiromi for a few moments. Perhaps he had already left, though? Maybe he dropped down and-- Her head on reflex tilted down and she gazed at the wet, slick cobblestone bellow. No; no way someone could have survived a fall from two stories up in the rain like that. Then perhaps he was injured somewhere? Or...where was he? She was just about to pull her head back inside the building when she heard a noise outside. She poked her head back out and looked around frantically.

"Psst, up here." She looked up and her smile, which had begun to grow, faltered. He was on the roof. She blinked. And soaking wet. His hair looked to be plastered to his skin. He could catch cold! Then she realized that, though he might have gotten on the roof with some ease, it would be near to impossible to get back down with all bones intact. Her smile fell completely, and instead a quizical, thoughtful look fell into her features.

"Are they gone yet?" His voice brought her back to the present and she lifted an index finger, motioning for a moment as she slipped back inside. She grabbed a towel from the sink and rubbed her face slowly, getting the dampness from teh rain off her face before she slowly edged herself down the steps into the storage room.

As she went down the steps into the storage room, she stoppepd short, seeing as Fai-kun was hustling the men out of the storage room and into the front of the store. The leader was saying something in a not-so-patient tone of voice, but another young man, the one who had helped Fai-kun down the steps, was thanking him for his help. They were leaving, and Fai-kun seemed to be the only one who noticed Nozomi. His hands were tucked wisely behind his back, a perk of amusement in his old brown eyes as he gave a 'thumbs-up' to Nozomi before following the men to the front.

Nozomi went back up the stairs and rushed to the window, poking her head out oncemore and gazing up at Hiromi with a quizzical look. Just then, a noise from bellow brought her gaze downward, where she could see the men walking in the opposite direction, going to the next store-shop for questions. Nozomi looked back up at Hiromi. "They're gone, Hiromi-chan. But how do you expect to get down?"

"He could try the back ladder." The sudden voice beside her made her jump and she looked to her left to see Fai-kun looked out the window beside her, an amused look in his eyes. "Then he could come inside and get dried up."

Nozomi fixed her gaze thoughtfully to Hiromi. Now, why would we have a back ladder to begin with?

[yuudai]

Hiromi watched as Nozomi stuck her head out and finally realized him. She made some hand motions, but he didn't understand and when she disappeared for more than a few minutes he was getting kind of worried. Though, just as his worry was settling she popped her head back out
"They're gone, Hiromi-chan. But how do you expect to get down?" He sighed, How to get down? that was a good question, he thought.
"He could try the back ladder. Then he could come inside and get dried up." The old man poked his head out to and with an excellent idea.
"Okay, back ladder," Hiromi looked to his left and saw the two top knobes of the ladder and with a sigh of realization at how difficult it would be to move across the wet tiles he said, "Great. Well, I'll see what I can do," He backed away from the edge and, holding onto the spine of the roof, he flipped onto his back. He moved along the spine steadily, but trouble started when he tried to make his desent to the ladder. Letting go of the spine for the first time since he had gotten onto the roof he tried to grip the slick tiles to no avail. He slide towards the edge in a flurry of panic and attepts to grab something. He shot of the edge, able to grip tihe lip of the roof at the last second.
"Nozomi! I think I have a problem!" He called, hoping Nozomi would hear him.