Eye of the Storm

Page Seven

Gopan and Quila were talking quietly in the market. Gopan looked deep in thought as Quila told him about Lee. His being the Blue Spirit, and now knowing about the fact that she and her friend were the Black Bandits. "Are you sure we can trust him?" Gopan asked and Quila nodded, with no hint of hesitation. "I do. He has just as much to hide as we do. He'd have no evidence of who we are without giving himself up."

"I just don't know, Quila. You can be too trusting sometimes." She frowned and furrowed her brows. "And you can be too cautious. He already knows now. What do you suggest we do besides trust him?" He huffed in frustration. "You're right. We don't have a choice. I'm still not happy about it. I wish you'd come to me before confronting him about this."

"Well it's too late for that now. Even if I hadn't talked to him, he still would have known." Gopan frowned and sighed. "We can trust him, I promise." Gopan raised an eyebrow at her. "This isn't just because you have a crush on him, is it?" Quila felt her face heat up. "I don't know what you mean!"

"Please, Quila, we know each other far too well for lying. You spend so much time at the tea shop, I don't think it's a secret."

"You're out of your mind. Now, if you excuse me, I have to get going." She huffed as she packed up her stand to take back home. "Hey, we're still on for tonight, aren't we?" Gopan asked, packing up his things as well. "Yes."

"Good. I'll see you at the usual place." She gathered her things and took them back to her home, her mother taking care of unloading things inside. While she did that, Quila made her way back to the familiar tea shop.

She walked in the small shop, and Mushi smiled when she entered. "Tiger Lily! It is good to see you again. Please, take a seat. Your usual order?"

"Yes, please, Mushi. Thank you." She sat and waited for her tea. Lee left the back room, a tray of tea in his hands. She felt herself smile a bit when she saw him, but caught herself before she was staring. Mushi placed the cup of fragrant tea in front of her and she smiled, heating her hands around the tea. "Thank you, Mushi, it smells amazing as always."

"Of coarse, Tiger Lily. It is always a pleasure to see you in the shop. Especially seeing the affect you have on my nephew." He said with a knowing smile. Quila raised her eyebrow. "What are you getting at, Mushi?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that I was so worried Lee wouldn't become close with anyone here in Ba Sing Se, but he seems quite taken with you." Lee looked over at them suspiciously out of the corner of his eyes, but he continued his work while he couldn't hear them. "Your nephew and I are friends, Mushi."

"Yes, but it is always nice to see young romances blossoming, isn't it?" Quila felt the blood rush to her cheeks and she tried not to act too shaken and cause a scene. "You're going out of your mind, Mushi. There's nothing romantic between us!" She finished her tea and set her money down on the table. "Now, if you'll excuse me." She got up and rushed out the door, feeling her stomach flip as she made eye contact with Lee on her way out.

That night Quila got dressed in her black bandit uniform and stealthily made her way to the old abandoned house. The streets were quiet as she walked along the middle ring with Gopan, cautious of their every move. Suddenly, there was a sound of steps running behind them, from the other end of an alley. They froze, their heart rates accelerating. They listened and prepared their weapons. Gopan exchanged a look with her and nodded before slowly stepping towards the source of the sound, stringing an arrow against his bow, staying close to the wall in the shadow. He stepped into the open, his arm ready to release his ammunition, but he stopped and relaxed. As far as Quila could tell, he didn't see anything. But then, a rock came from behind him, hitting him square in the back and throwing him towards the wall. He bounced off and crumbled to the ground, groaning in pain. Quila prepared her water and rushed out, but before she could reach her friend, someone sliced her arm from behind. She spun around and began fighting her attacker, hearing Gopan getting into a struggle with whatever earth bender was attacking him.
Quila's opponent used a curved sword and was very skilled, dodging most of her attacks. She whipped water at her foe and froze his hand to the ground, then turned and helped Gopan fight off his attacker. She froze the man's fists and feet, not allowing him to bend. Then, from behind her another two appeared and she tried fighting them both off, and then her previous opponent freed himself from the ice. "You have to go!" She called to her friend. "No! I'm helping you!"

"We can't fight them all off! You're seriously hurt! Go!" One of them hit her across the head and she fought the urge to fall to the dirt. "Run! Remember the code!" She commanded him, making eye contact with him. He seemed hesitant before running off, saving his life. That was the last thing she saw before her head was struck and her vision went totally dark.