[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/170831/a5506bd4a92a4af65baab633a456ebc3.png[/img][/center]
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[color=82ca9d]Location:[/color] [i]Lower Ring – At the Wall to the Middle Ring[/i]
[color=82ca9d]Interacting With:[/color] N/A

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Bare, light-green walls, a small, unmade bed, an empty dresser with clothes piled on top, and a few tea pots and cups with not a single drop inside all resemble the chambers of, none other than, Mei-Li. Amidst all the clutter and disorganization, she sits cross-legged with her face to the window that allows only for a tasteful amount of sunlight in, meditating calmly and collectively. Her hair is unkept and still adorning the bed-head look while her eyes are embellished with dark circles from staying up to late and waking up too early. Despite the rather popular tea shop that she dwells in, the rowdiness of the familiar  commute time rush and the clinking of dishes remained faint -- but perhaps Mei was so used to the noises that she ignored them well. Regardless, a loud shout interrupted her serene meditation.

"Mei!" The raspy voice was clearly of an older, aging man. Mei, annoyed by the sudden disturbance, ignored it. "Mei!" It was baffling to believe that the man's voice could get any louder, given that the shout echoed clearly into her room.

Mei sighed and settled into a less straight and a more irritated posture, replying and mimicking the loudness of his voice just after he shouted once again,"What!?"

"We need you!"

Mei let out a loud, irritated grunt before getting up, brushing her hands through her hair and tying up the top layer. She sloppily tied on her apron and proceeded down the long staircase to the untidy kitchen with an understaffed amount of workers that were preparing various tea pots and small treats for tables. Mei rubbed her eyes and let her surroundings settle in. The aroma was a strong mix of berries, herbs, and mints, while the air was hot from the steam of boiling water. The kitchen had shelves with a big variety of different herbs and berries, while the coolers underneath the tables contained snacks that were easy to prepare. A busboy was tucked in the corner trying to wash dishes as fast as he could, while the tea makers were shuffling around each other to properly prepare the teas in a timely fashion.

Mei approached the man with the shouting, burly voice. The voice matched his appearance well: short, salt and pepper hair, a patchy scruff to add to the unpleasant look, various wrinkles on his eyes, forehead, and cheeks, with a growing beer gut to match his [i]former[/i] masculine physique. Mei spoke up, her voice still taking on the morning rasp, though her voice was already rather deep and matured,[color=82CA9D]"See Gopan, I told you we should've hired waterbenders. It'd make this place so much easier to manage."[/color]

"Yeah, whatever. Just get out there and go help somewhere," he replied, irritated and distracted by the several other employees approaching him.

A young man rushed up to him as Mei was still adjusting into a work pace,"Yo Gopan, table 6 still says that they want more peppermint and verbana in their tea."

Gopan clenched his fist in anger, aching to slam something near to him but there were no suitable surfaces,"Why is everyone asking for peppermint tea today!?" 

"Well, they said that they're trying to take precautions to the contagion going around," the young man said in response.

"Contagion?" Gopan mumbled under his breath, doubtfully, as he shuffled through various shelves and cabinets,"Great. We're out."

"What do you want me to tell them?"

"Just," Gopan paused,"Say we're out until we get another shipment." He then turned to Mei as he motioned for the young man off,"Mei, go pick up a whole motherload of peppermint and verbana from the market. I don't care where you get it from, but just get more so we don't lose business today."

Without any second thoughts, Mei ripped off her apron and threw it on some random, open surface and fled the scene with an optimistic smile,[color=82CA9D]"You got it!"[/color]

Mei went upstairs, threw on her usual outfit, and went into the crowded streets. Mei stood at the side of all the busy, flustering people, looking around to try to familiarize herself with the direction of the market. [color=82ca9d]"Where was it again? I think this way..."[/color] She spoke to herself. With that, she entered the traffic of the people, trying to rush between the slow walkers to have a quicker return.