A Matter of Opinion

[Kenji]

“I’m not hiding. We’ll do it your way.”



“Delightful.”  he said in the smiling but not really smiling that nobles just loved to use, keeping in character as he motioned and said “ Very well then , follow me.” He lead on. They didn’t go inside instead curved to the side of the building and down a nearby alleyway. It was here that Kenji paused and then leaned against the wall and waited.



Time passed and still he made no move. There was nothing sketchy going on, but seeing as they were in the alleyway by a gentlemans club it certainly felt sketchy. Kenji could practically feel Zuka’s frustration and questions vibrating off of her even though she remained quiet. However Kenji was not going to break character, and besides they were being watched. Kenji wasn’t sure where, maybe from across the street, or more likely from one of the other buildings. No doubt a runner from wherever they were being watched was already in the Jade Blossom informing the management that there was someone lurking outside.



Right on cue, the door leading to the alley opened and a woman clad in green silk and a rather large wall of a man, stepped out. When they turned to face Kenji and Zula, Kenji affixed a look of relief and than said “ Ajala so glad to see you.”



The woman clad in silk paused for a minute before she then dismissed the muscle and affixd a smile on her face as she extended her hand and Kenji took it and gave a small formal bow and placed a light kiss on her hand. She then said “ Amal this is a surprise, but you could have come inside, your always welcome”



Kenji smiled and said “ Normally I would but I have a guest with me, today.” he said gesturing toward Zula “ My friend, Natsumi, is new in town. her father did business with my father, you know how it goes.” he said with a dismissive wave “ Anyway I’m the tour guide for the day, and while I said she could wait in the car, but she’s just so eager to see all of Republic City, but some hidden gems, best remain hidden, don’t you think?”



Ajala paused for minute and her gaze briefly met Zula and than gave a smile and said “ Your right I suppose, no reason for innocence to be lost so quickly when visiting the city.” she than gave Zula a small bow and said “Nice to meet you.” in the tone one would use for a family member that was a little slow, which Kenji knew would grate Zula, but he didn’t push it. Unlike Mizu, Ajala was quicker on the uptake and paid quite well to remember faces, if he let her focus on Zula for too long, she’d figure it out.



So instead he gestured and turned her around, once they was no longer facing Zula, he said with a hushed whisper “ I’m glad it was you, I was hoping whoever came out the back door would be able to get you for me,” In reality Kenji knew that she would be the one to come out, and if she hadn’t recognized than they would have been having a much different conversation with the muscle that left, but he was in character, and his character was that of well meaning, but often impulsive noble, so he kept up the pretense.”



Ajala rolled her eyes and said “ What did you do this time?”



Kenji held up his hands and said “ Nothing, nothing! I was just at a probending match and made a friendly wager with a associate of mine. I lost, unfortunately, and while I didn’t have the money to cover my bet than, I'm always good for it, you know that.” he said with a chuckle “ However my associate is a little busy at the moment so I was hoping that you might be able to deliver their winnings to them, they’ll be at an gala at the Water Tribe Embassy and I can get you in, seeing as I won't be able to attend myself” With than Kenji held up the second invitation to the Water Tribe event, along with a small piece of paper with a name on it.



Ajala paused for a bit until Kenji said “ Please, for old times sake, and you know things like that are great for new business.” Eventually Ajala’s greed won out and she accepted both and looked at the name on the slip of paper and her eyebrow arched “Really?”



Kenji said “ I know I was surprised too. I’ll make sure you get an envelope for them later on tonight, and just tell my associate that it’s from a supportive donor, they’ll know that it’s from me.”



Ajala nodded and Kenji gave her a hug and said “ You're a lifesaver. Now if you excuse me I should get back to my babysitting duties.”



With that he turned back and than motioned to Zula “ Come now Natsumi, now that I've finished talking with my friend I’ll show you the Little Ba Sing Se Fashion Mall just like I promised!” Leading Zula away as they got back in the car and Kenji drove away.



They made their way back to the place they started the day at, Kenji could feel her very pointedly not asking the questions that were no doubt going through her mind right now. However he wasn’t going to bite, he was just going to leave her stewing in mystery. As Kenji parked the car and with a wave of his hand shut the garage.



Than they were back in his makeshift office as Kenji than said “ So if memory serves you have your next meeting with the other ambassadors the day after tomorrow. By the time you have that meeting you’ll get the support you need for the education funding. Come back here, that night, and then I’ll tell you how the magic trick works and than we’ll have that discussion about you and the mask.” he concluded and than took a seat, they were done today, and he was sure she knew where the door was.

[Neva]

Zula followed after him, admittedly as curious as she was concerned about just what was going to happen. As it turned out, the minutes dragging on as they loitered in the alleway, it was nothing. Zula had every temptation to ask why they were just standing there, but she kept it to herself, crossing her arms and letting the night drag on around them. Of course she had questions--when didn’t she have questions with him--but she knew that the best thing she could do was watch and learn, even when there wasn’t much to be watching.

Eventually, the waiting stopped as a woman in green and a large man came out the back door. Now this, she supposed, was where she was to pay attention. She stood there quietly, observing the way he played his role, seemingly effortlessly. Years of practice, most likely, attributed to that.

“Anyway I’m the tour guide for the day, and while I said she could wait in the car, but she’s just so eager to see all of Republic City, but some hidden gems, best remain hidden, don’t you think?”

The woman, Ajala, turned her gaze on Zula, and Zula quickly assessed the role that he’d assigned her. Obviously she was someone of nobility, someone eager and naive...oblivious. Well, she could work with that. Zula didn’t intend to say anything, anyways, but she definitely needed to keep herself in line and pretend that she was as oblivious as he’d made her out to be. Zula clasped her hands in front of her, fixing her expression to be as innocent as possible, producing a small smile on her face. Innocent, none the wiser.

She gave a polite bow, and though her tone wasn’t what Zula expected, she ignored the irksome address. Formalities were so ingrained in her that she expected them but...not the worst she’d ever experienced. Zula simply gave a polite nod in return, and just like that she watched her mentor spin Ajala around so their backs were to her, talking in a hushed voice. Zula frowned behind their backs and strained to hear what he was saying.

While she caught bits and pieces, she saw him pass over the invitation and another piece of paper. That caught her interest especially, as she didn’t expect him to hand it over to her of all people. But, he was full of surprises and they seemed to be never ending at this point. Just when she thought she might have started to figure things out, he caught her off guard yet again. Nonetheless, he appeared to be getting his way.

“ Come now Natsumi, now that I've finished talking with my friend I’ll show you the Little Ba Sing Se Fashion Mall just like I promised!”

Zula resisted rolling her eyes and instead followed him to the car. The entire way back she had question on top of question, waiting for him to give her some kind of explanation for what had gone on back there. This time, however, he seemed content to keep her in suspense. Zula wasn’t going to start nagging with her wonderings, either, and so she sat at their stalemate and did nothing more than sigh quietly.

As they entered the office she turned and listened to him, and then watched him take a seat in the chair. Clearly they were finished for the day and he wasn’t going to offer up anything else. Of course he’d make her wait for answers. It wouldn’t be any fun if he just told her outright what was going on. She told herself he had a reason for his ways, but she didn’t fully believe that they were really a part of training and more to just get on her nerves.

But she held her frustration together, instead opting to respond, “That we will. I’ll see you when your scheming pays off.”

She turned then and headed for the door, taking a deep breath once she was outside and alone. Zula released it slowly, glancing up at the sky. The mystery was bad, but once it was over she’d have two things: funding for her cause and that talk about The Cinder.

The latter might be what killed her in the end.

~

He’d done it.

Doubting him would be foolish and really, Zula hadn’t. If anything, she’d been suspicious of how the meeting would play out. Still, Zula went in prepared to have to argue her point. When the time came for her to speak, she laid out her proposal once more, went through the benefits and objectives once more. She was prepared for questions, prepared to refute arguments and give further validity to her plan. There were only a few questions that had simple answers, nothing that Zula couldn’t handle. And then they came to an agreement: to support the funding plan.

It came too easily for a plan that had been rejected before. But Zula knew better than to let that show. Instead she thanked the ambassadors for their support and took her seat, catching Tikaani’s eye across the table. As much as Zula wanted to think more on what had just taken place, she had a job to do and forced her attention to going through the logistics of the funding plan. Step one was finished, but now that she’d gotten this far, there was more work to be done.

But when the meeting ended, she had plenty of time to think. How had he done it? Zula had thought over all that she’d seen over the past few days and had her theories, but there were still pieces missing that she didn’t know how to fill. There was only one person that knew how every thread connected, and, as she knew, they had plenty to discuss. Zula wasn’t sure if she was dreading that or not. When it came down to it, no matter what happened, he’d not only done her a favor but taught her some useful skills, none of which he had to do.

That night she made her way to his office, out of her noble wear and dressed more casual. She stopped in front of the office door, took a moment to prepare herself, and then knocked. Once he opened the door she glanced at him, paused for a moment, and then asked, “How’d you do it?”