Adventures of a Metalworker

City of Walls and Secrets

"We are," Jet said. "When I get the evidence I need, I'll report them to the police and let them handle it." He walked forward a bit, then turned his head to face the others. "Okay?"

Smellerbee and Longshot exchanged glances.

—∞—

"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers," a man wearing a dark blue shirt and hat said with a smile. "How do you feel?"

Iroh, Zuko, and Shun were at their new job, wearing aprons. Well, Zuko and Shun were. Iroh was still trying desperately to tie the string behind his back, but his effort was in vain. The apron was simply too small for him.

"Ridiculous," Zuko answered the man's question, annoyed.

"Uh, does this possibly come in a larger size?" Iroh asked.

"I have extra string in the back," their new boss said. He poured some tea into three cups.

"Have some tea while you wait." He handed them to his new employees and headed to the back of the shop.

Iroh took a sip from his cup, but his face contorted in disgust. He held the cup at a distance.

"Blech!" he said, looking at it as if it had betrayed him. "This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!"

"Uncle, that's what all tea is," Zuko said, sounding annoyed.

"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible?" Iroh asked angrily.

Shun sipped her tea and said, "It does seem to be missing something."

"We'll have to make some major changes around here," Iroh said. He angrily took the teapot and headed over to the window that, unbeknownst to them, Jet was spying through. Jet gasped and moved away just in time as Iroh dumped the tea out the window. Jet slowly stalked around the corner of the shop and left.

—∞—

After a long workday, Iroh, Shun, and Zuko went to their new apartment. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Zuko immediately claimed their futon sofa for himself and stretched out on it. Shun sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall. Iroh went over to their small kitchen area and started making tea.

Jet spied on them from a balcony in the shadows, hiding behind a clothesline in the apartment across from theirs.

"Would you like a pot of tea?" Iroh asked Zuko and Shun.

"We've been working in a tea shop all day!" Zuko said. "I'm sick of tea!"

"Sick of tea?" Iroh said. "That's like being sick of breathing!"

"I'll have some," Shun said.

"Seriously?" Zuko asked her.

"What? It's not like we were drinking it all day," she said. "I'm thirsty."

Iroh rummaged through the cupboard beneath the counter where he was standing.

"Have you seen the spark rocks to heat up the water?" he asked.

"They're not there," Jet whispered. He opened his fist, revealing some green rocks. "You'll have to firebend, old man." He saw Iroh leave the room and narrowed his eyes. "Where're you going?"

Iroh returned and went back to the counter.

"I borrowed our neighbors'," he said. "Such kind people." He struck the rocks near a pile of twigs below the teapot and created a flame.

Frustrated, Jet ducked behind the clothesline and left.

—∞—

Iroh, Zuko, and Shun were working in the tea shop again. Jet was spying on the shop from from an alley, still full of suspicion.