Accidental Avatar 3: Totally Lit

Finishing touches and also trouble

"So, what do we want to do?" Mogui asked the group.

"They look pretty," Katara pointed at a stall. 

An array of necklaces and things adorned the table, and the girls gawked over them. Toph ran her fingers across the different tiaras while Katara was ogling some necklaces. Jin was holding up a set of earrings to the boys.

"How about these?" she asked.

"I like those little circle ones," Muteki smiled at her.

"I don't think they suit me, though," she shrugged. "Besides, I think these look more sophisticated ."

She held out the two red crystal teardrop earrings.

"I still like those," Muteki stated.

"Then maybe you should get them," the girl quipped back.

"Okay," the crimson giant grinned. "Sounds like a plan."

"Well, aren't you easily persuaded," the stall owner grinned. "And you two look like a cute couple." 

Everyone did a double-take.

"Tell you what... I'll sell you two pairs of those little circle ones, half price. One for each of you."

Jin edged away from Muteki, mumbling about not being too fussed about jewellery.

"Is that a top-knot clasp?!" Sokka squeaked from across the stall.

Katara handed over the cash for all that the Gaang had picked from the stall. It all really completed the disguise.

"I got two sets..." Muteki sighed dramatically. "I only wanted one... Hey Mogui..." 

The giant waggled his eyebrows at the smaller boy.

"No!" Mogui thrust his finger at the giant.

"I haven't asked you yet!" he gasped.

"But you implied it," Mogui chuckled, then deadpanned. "Which is just as bad... if not, worse..."

"Have a ring," Muteki grinned.

"No!" the boy refused.

"Just one?" Muteki held out the small metal loop. "I'll pierce your ear nice and quick."

"I do not want your ring!"

"But I like it, so I should put a ring on it. No?"

"Have you heard nothing of what Lord Elrond has said?" Jin asked. "The One Ring is to be destroyed."

Muteki and Mogui burst out laughing. Everyone else raised an eyebrow except Mangetsu. He just looked confused.

"Just give them to me," Magetsu sighed. "No point destroying a perfectly good set of earrings."

"Your ears are pierced?" Muteki asked.

"It was common back home," the boy shrugged. "It's been strange not having a pair."

Moving on like a bull through the terrible puns Muteki and Mogui made, The Gaang made their way through the market towards what their noses told them was food.

"Is that a flame-grilled, ten-ounce sirloin steak my nose is smelling?" Mogui asked.

"That's oddly specific," Jin raised an eyebrow.

"The nose knows, ya know," the boy chuckled. "Must have spent a lot of time cooking them."

"Oh," Aang stopped dead. "We're going to a meat place?"

"Oh come on, Aang," Sokka exasperated. "Everyone here eats meat...even the meat!"

He even pointed at a hippo cow thing in the middle of eating some funky looking fish.

"Ugh," Aang wasn't convinced. "You guys go ahead. I'll just get some lettuce out of the garbage."

"I'll come with," Mangetsu volunteered. "We shouldn't go alone in ... Enemy territory..."

"Okay," and like that, the two wee boys were gone.

"So... What's your story?" Aang asked.

"What?" Mangetsu asked back.

"The others said you were a prisoner on the ship when they captured it."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I'm here to fight for you. Nothing in that says we have to be friends."

"I think I kinda know how you feel," Aang tried to sound comforting. "I've lost everyone I knew too."

"No," Mangetsu sighed. "I said, 'We are not friends'."

"But you can talk to me," Aang almost seemed hurt. "I'm the Avatar. It's my job to fix things."

"Some things you just can't fix," the blond boy huffed. "You let someone get that close; it just means they need a shorter knife. Lonely and alive works just fine, thanks."

"You two!" a voice shouted.

The boys turned to be met by an imposing man.

"It's over," one of the officials growled. "We caught you."

"Who, us?" Aang asked.

"It couldn't be more obvious that you don't belong here."

"Uh oh," Mangetsu tensed, his fists balling.

"Next time you play hooky, you might want to take off your school uniform."

Aang let out a heavy breath. Mangetsu thumped the boy on the shoulder.

"Told you we'd get caught," he grumbled loudly as the guards escorted them away from the town square.