Fractured Harmony

The tea vendor, whose name was Wong, knew what's about to happen. He had seen it before, the way Opal's eyes flashed with anger, the way Kuvira's smile faltered. He had witnessed many confrontations like this in his years of running the tea stall, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before things escalated. As Opal took a step closer to Kuvira, her fists clenched at her sides, Wong swiftly gathered his belongings and began to pack up his stall. He had learned to recognize the signs of an impending fight, and he wasn't about to stick around to get caught in the crossfire. "Hey, what's going on here?" one of the Earth Kingdom guards shouted, pushing his way through the crowd. He eyed Opal and Kuvira warily, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Opal didn't flinch, her gaze still fixed on Kuvira. "Mind your own business, guard," she spat, her voice venomous. The guard took a step back, his eyes narrowing. "I'm making it my business," he said firmly. "You two need to calm down and move along." Kuvira took advantage of the distraction to slip away, her eyes darting towards the guard as if seeking protection. But Opal was relentless, her anger propelling her forward like a force of nature. The guard tried to intervene again, but Opal was too quick. She pushed him aside and lunged at Kuvira, her fists flying. Kuvira tried to defend herself, but Opal's blows were too strong, too precise. She landed a solid punch to Kuvira's jaw, sending her stumbling backward. The crowd gasped in shock, and Wong let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had seen it coming, but that didn't make it any less disturbing. He quickly finished packing up his stall and slipped away into the crowd, not wanting to get caught up in the aftermath. As Kuvira struggled to regain her footing, Opal stood over her, her chest heaving with exertion. "You should have listened to me," she snarled, her eyes blazing with fury. "You should have stayed out of this." The guard finally managed to grab Opal's arm and pull her back, holding her in a tight grip. "That's enough," he growled, his face stern. "You're coming with me." Opal struggled against his grip, but the guard held firm. Kuvira, meanwhile, took advantage of the distraction to slip away into the crowd, her face pale and shaken. As the guard dragged Opal away, Wong watched her go with a mixture of sadness and concern. He knew that this was far from over, that the conflict between Opal and Kuvira was only just beginning. And he couldn't help but wonder what other consequences would arise from this explosive confrontation.