Black Jade - Zuko X OC

Four Black Rhinos

"And how much do you think a five pound fish cost?"

"Ten?" Dai Yu guessed. Fish was food, just like her sweet potato, which was six coppers. But a fish that big was definitely more filling than one potato.

"Ten what?" For some reason, Mushi had decided Dai Yu needed an impromptu quiz on money after seeing Misato give her a handful of coins for her book.

"...Coppers?"

"Ha!" Mushi shook his head. "I'm telling you Misato, you're not going to have anything left if you send her off with your purse."

"I haven't taken an economics class yet," Dai Yu muttered. That was supposed to start after she'd finished her current level of mathematics and statistics. She didn't know what Mushi was so concerned about. Misato chose to give her money, and it wasn't even much compared to what she'd taken from Zuko.

"That's fine, I already separated my drinking budget," Misato laughed. "don't need the rest."

"Besides not knowing the normal price of anything, I don't think you know how to haggle when someone up-charges you. What that guy made you pay for laundry was downright criminal," Mushi said to her. "You're coming with me today, girl. Don't worry, I'll make sure you still get your book."

Shadowing Mushi through the marketplace was...informative. Extremely unfun, but informative. Turns out, the cost of fish per pound could vary a lot depending on type, freshness, and how much you were willing to yell back and forth with the vendor. Apparently, vendors always asked for more than what something was worth, and you were supposed to always argue for something way below what it was worth, and whatever amount you agreed to would, theoretically, be close to what it's actually worth. Dai Yu thought she'd rather just overpay.

"Do we really eat that much?" She asked, after he paid ten gold (four silvers per pound) for thirty pounds of fish.

"You might eat like a cricket mouse, but the men don't. We're lucky General Iroh is happy to supplement the budget, especially where food is concerned. Otherwise we'd all be eating flavorless jook three times a day, everyday."

"I like jook..." she mumbled, embarrassed that he'd noticed her food intake. They made the short walk from the fish vendors to their ship. "Are you supposed to argue about book prices too?"

"Eh, maybe if the rarity is disputable? But for what you want I'd just fork it over, shouldn't be a lot anyways," He said as he handed the fish over to one of the other crewmates.

FumaBu was a weird town. It was in the same colony as Yu Dao, but there were fewer Fire Nationals, and the ones here were all active military. It was a decent enough size, having a couple bars for the men closer to the docks, and plenty of merchant stores. She was sure they'd find a bookseller eventually. Mushi asked one of the local soldiers and he pointed them in the right direction, but not before wordlessly eyeing her for a long uncomfortable moment.

The staring was back, this time from earth and fire alike.

Dai Yu was especially put off when a group of children ran by, and an earth boy her age noticed her. He stopped, opened his mouth like he might speak, then shut it as he eyed her clothes. He turned away and dashed off with his friends without a word. Mushi didn't acknowledge any of this as they walked down the street, so she tried not to either.

"What about the tanghulu?" She asked as they passed by a stall. The sugared fruits on a stick glinting tantalizingly in the sun. "Would you argue the price of that?"

"Sign says 'five coppers each'. Don't be the kind of guy who argues over something under a few coppers."

"I can't be any kind of guy."