"Zuko, I have got to go into town right now."

Zuko's face let the wall know exactly what he thought about his uncle going into town. "Uncle, every minute you spend there is less time i we /i have to go after the Avatar!"

"Prince Zuko. I remind you, it is i because /i of the Avatar we're here? Besides. The men have not finished the ship's repairs. You are not going to sea with a hole like that in your deck. You know I have to pay that girl for her help in finding the Avatar."

"You still expect us to pay her? She let the Avatar get away, uncle!"

"After leading us to him."

"Her scent-beast i para /i lyzed me!"

"After you fought with him."

Zuko let off a flame of frustration.

"That is good to know," said Iroh. "And also, Lt. Ji and the rest of the crew wanted squashplums for tonight's dinner. How can I say no to squashplums? I will be back by tonight, Zuko."

Jun leapt backward, fending off a blow with her whip-handle. The idiot drunk who'd lost at dice drew his weight back for another punch - i stupid /i , Jun smiled, and stepped past him, driving her weighted handle into the base of her opponent's skull.

"You are very graceful, Miss Jun."

Jun whipped around herself, letting the drunk fall. It was that lazy pervert uncle from her last assignment. She controlled her voice and stepped a pace back. "What d'you want?"

"Only to give you the money you were owed."

Jun frowned. "You're still going to pay me?"

"Sure." The uncle picked from a set of bags and held one out; the action unbalanced the rest, sending a crate under the uncle's arm to earth. Squashplums rolled everywhere. The uncle sighed and put his bags down, and started collecting fruit.

Jun paused - she'd left after that particular assignment, as soon as she'd come unparalyzed, and most certainly considered it a waste of effort. She grabbed the moneybag from where he'd put it (only half, but spirits, she was getting i paid? /i ) and turned. Then she kicked a squashplum over from where it had rolled, near the drunk.

"Thank you," said the uncle, still working, and Jun kicked another couple over. She nudged a third toward him. "Send you out on a shopping trip, did the royal bratling?"

"No, he did not," said the uncle decidedly. He finished repacking the fruit and stood. "Well, goodbye, Miss Jun. I hope it is enough to pay for your lost animal-"

"Nah. Shirshu came back on his own. Knows who feeds him." She paused. "Ppreciate this, though."

"It was my pleasure," the uncle bowed, and Jun had most certainly seen that expression before and walked back into the tavern.