Zuko, Jong, and Zhin walked carefully through the streets of the poor quarters of Ba Sing Se, making their way towards the house they were assigned. Zuko glanced to the side as Iroh caught up to them, Cadence on his shoulder and a vase of flowers in his arms. When Zuko glanced at the flowers, Iroh shrugged. "I just want our new place to look nice in case someone brings home a lady friend."
Zuko rolled his eyes. "I thought match making was her job," he grumbled, jerking a thumb at Cadence.
"Whose idea did you think it was?" Cadence teased. "Besides, who says I was talking about you bringing home a lady friend, cousin?"
Confused, Zuko glanced towards Jong and Zhin.
"Oh, I don't have to do anything with either of them," Cadence replied easily. "They're already taken care of."
Iroh blinked and blushed. "I think I'm a little too old to be looking for a lady friend," he murmured.
"The fortune teller said you'd find love in your second life," Cadence countered. "And you did say that we can think of being here as 'starting a new life'."
Iroh frowned, stroking his beard as he thought about that. He then shrugged the thoughts aside for the moment. "I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon."
"We're being followed," Jong pointed out calmly. "Jet and his crew."
"Jet mentioned something about Firebending and 'hot tea'," Zhin added.
Iroh blinked. "...oops."
"I'll think of something," Cadence promised. "Just try not to think too much about them, and don't do any bending."
Before long, the group reached the tea shop Iroh had gotten them jobs at. Jong and Zhin decided to stay roaming, rather than working just yet. Iroh, Zuko, and Cadence went in to get ready for the job.
While the owner of the shop went into the back to try and figure out how to get an apron sized to Cadence, Iroh tasted the tea the shop served. "...this tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!" he spat.
Cadence shuddered as she tasted her own cup. "Even Zuko can make better tea than this, and he's an amateur!"
"How very flattering of you to say," Zuko murmured, his voice flat.
"Hey, tea is serious business!" Cadence countered. "And you are an amateur."
"We need to make some changes around here," Iroh grumbled, taking the pot of 'tea' and tossing it out the window.
The work through the rest of the day went rather well, a bit better than even Iroh had hoped. Then again, Cadence being her adorable self had numerous customers coming in, and the much better quality tea Iroh brewed had them staying happily. The owner was certainly overjoyed with the increased business, though no mention of raises was made. At the end of the day, Iroh, Cadence, and Zuko met up with Jong and Zhin at the small apartment they now shared.
"Would anyone care for some tea?" Iroh asked as he prepared to brew a pot.
"...I think I've had enough of tea for today," Zuko groaned. "Cadence, could we play Pai Sho to take my mind off of tea?"
Cadence chuckled indulgently, ignoring Jong and Zhin's snickers. "Sure thing."
"...has anyone seen our spark rocks?" Iroh asked. "I can't seem to find them."
Cadence paused. "...can I try something?" she asked, fluttering over to the counter.
"...alright," Iroh replied, stepping back to watch.
Lifting the lid, Cadence beckoned upwards with her hooves and wingtips. The water floated out of the pot, much to the confusion of those in the apartment. "I haven't done this before, so..." She focused on the water and began moving her hooves and wingtips in circles. The water flowed continuously, mirroring her movements, slowly moving faster and faster. After a time, the water began to bubble and steam, and she deposited the boiling water back into the pot.
"How?" Zuko asked, confused.
"What?" Cadence asked. "Is it really so surprising? You know Waterbending can turn steam into water, water into ice, and ice into water. Is it that big of a stretch to believe it can turn water back into steam...only stopping halfway and get boiling water?"
Iroh's eyes widened. Smiling - and making sure he wasn't in view of the windows - he turned to Zuko and put a finger to his lips. "Amazing to intuit this technique I developed by studying Firebending," he proclaimed a little louder than necessary. "Zuko, I'll teach it to you tomorrow. But remember, don't let anyone else know what we can do. We just want to live peaceful lives now, without being dragged into the war."
Cadence smiled as her ears twitched. After a time, she spoke up. "He's gone," she stated, surprising Jong and Zhin.
"Do you think he bought it?" Iroh asked.
"Of course," Cadence replied. "I was Waterbending in plain view of the window...and everyone knows that only the Avatar can bend more than one Element."
"And what you said about us just wanting to be left alone means he'll back off, since he'll feel guilty for stalking us?" Zuko asked. "Clever. Did you plan this all out?"
"Nope," Cadence replied. "I just snatched an opportunity when it presented itself."
"And I rolled with it," Iroh proclaimed, laying on his side. "I'm very good at rolling." In a fit of humor, he demonstrated.
Zuko chuckled and rolled his eyes as he set up the board for a game of Pai Sho with Cadence.
"I call winner!" Iroh called out as he returned to making tea.
I would comment on the cleverness of this young girl but I feel doing so would only distract from the fact that that actually was a really clever solution. I expected Cadance to use her horn and go with the 'fuk uff ima spiroot beest' as the explanation.
Ah, the science of magic. My favorite topic.
Hmm, so now Jet won't do something stupid, which means he won't get hypnotized, which means he won't seek out Team Avatar, which means they won't have a clue how to find Appa, which means Jet doesn't have to die and a why was taken... I certainly hope you've thought this through.
Perhaps befriending Wan Shi Tong prevented Appa from being stolen in the first place?
Maybe Long Feng's personality has also taken a turn for the remains to be seen?
Perchance Ty lee or Mai freed him because they're different now?...
I dunno, I'm just getting antsy.
Aaah, clever clever!
Kinetic motion via bending generating heat required to elevate water to a boiling state... Clever little filly.
6775881 I guess time will tell. Maybe the Blue Spirit will still free Appa anyway.
She blinded me with science
When in doubt, hug Cadence and pray for a solution.
6775980 Huh, I wonder how that'd go.
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
But if Jet doesn't get suspicious, captured then hypnotised, how will he lead the Gaang to Appa?
Really wondering the fall of the Eartth Kingdom will turn out now.
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As far as Aang and crew, the only times their adventure changes is when they interact directly with Zuko. The rest of their adventure will happen as it's supposed to, as this isn't their story.
I do believe Tatsurou mentioned that very early on.
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I just hope Jet isn't steaming after Cadance's flowing performance.
Iroh really has mastered the art of... rolling with it and calling immediately to... Tea off with the winner? Silly Iroh.
6776125 Exactly
Clever Cadance is clever. Also, Iroh gets my approval for tossing the cheap swill out for proper tea as some one in the culinary world. Also, I suspect it was just random leaves ground into hot water.
6775938 Did you seriously copy the last bit of the chapter into your freaking comment? It's not like the rest of us just read that part so we would know what she flipping did, and I don't know, figure out what you meant if you had just said that it was clever?!!
I like to imagine Iroh log-rolled back into, and then out of, the room in order to say this.
Interesting way to delay Jet's death. If he really lives through this than what are you going to do with him?
how come i havnt found this one before
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because other great stories, Great Authors, or the internets Dark side moved it of the front page list when your looked at the front page at other times?
6776139 "He's got more rolls than a pastry truck." Wierd Al
6776139 I feel like you're starting to run out of puns and is grasping at straws
Subtle Iroh, real subtle.
It is.
Oh?
Oh yeah.
OK.
Oops indeed.
This amuses me.
She's got a point.
That's, actually pretty clever.
Doubt it.
You have a lot more experience with the game than either of them. You'd beat them easily if you tried. Also, I kinda want to see Teen Cadence here, she's still a filly for now and with the timeframe of Avatar, I doubt she'll become a teen any time soon, but, just seeing a hormonal alicorn with the ability to bend all 4 elements AND use magic, it's a hilarious mental image.
6776139
6777396 Some chapters are much harder to come for puns with as I think I might've mentioned before. But depending, I might not be able to pun at all.
Though I think the best time I punned in this story was the chapter where Zuko was first banished. Still, I started this venture and by golly I'll see this to the end.
6777854 remember the rare honey badger that took down wolves, a rhino and several Min troops?
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
6776032 Actually, in this universe Cadance is the Blue Spirit, I think.
smarts and good instincts, very good very good indeed
Am I the only one thinking of a sequel to this book already.
And we're not even hating.
6776139 Let's hope that he will just flow with it, or else he'll get himself into an exstream amount of difficulty.
Hahahaha, Iroh be rollin' and no one be hatin'
Brilliant job! And nice trick with the Water bending~
Korra gets Cadance's kid?
7177502
Destructive Avatar meet empire bane? Sweet!
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"Remember this as the day... the day you almost caught...Captain...Jack...Silver!"
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Jet: Your mad
Iroh: Thank goodness for that cause if I wasn't this probably wouldn't work.