In the Middle Ring, Joo Dee was continuing the tour in the carriage.
"This is the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se, home to the financial district, shops and restaurants, and the university." Joo Dee said.
Aang and Sokka looked out of the windows, bored.
"Yeah, we met a professor from the Ba Sing Se University. He took us to an ancient underground library where we discovered information about the war that is " Sokka leaned toward Joo Dee, losing his patience. "absolutely crucial for the Earth King to hear!"
"Isn't history fascinating? Look, here's one of the oldest buildings in the Middle Ring, Town Hall!" Joo Dee smiled excitedly.
The carriage stopped and Joo Dee exited. Sokka stared at her, annoyed.
"Is that woman deaf? She only seems to hear every other word I say." Sokka said.
"It's called "being handled". Get used to it." Reiko crossed her arms as everyone else glared sadly at Sokka.
Xxx
In a small tea shop in the Lower Ring, Kurai was leaning against the shop's wall. She turned around and peeked inside the window, spotting Zuko and Iroh speaking with the shop's owner.
"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel ?" Pao said.
Zuko and Iroh were wearing aprons. Iroh desperately attempted to tie the string behind his back, but his effort was in vain.
Kurai chuckled at the window; Zuko saw her and blushed, embarrassed.
"Ridiculous." Zuko said, but when he looked again, Kurai was sitting in the tea shop, looking at him with a smirk.
"Uh, does this possibly come in a larger size?" Iroh noticed the apron strings were not quite long enough to tie.
"I have extra string in the back. Have some tea while you wait!" Pao said.
"I'll have some too, if that's alright." Kurai put her money down.
Pao poured some tea in three cups, hands them to his new employees and his customer, and headed to the back of the shop. Iroh took a sip from his cup, but his face contorts in disgust. Kurai took a sip from hers and made a face.
Iroh quickly held the cup at a distance. "Blech!" Iroh looked at it in disgust. "This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!"
Zuko closely examined his cup. "Uncle, that's what all tea is."
Kurai and Iroh stared at him. Iroh opened his mouth but Kurai was already laying into Zuko.
"How can you say that!" Kurai snapped. "Tea is a symphony of flavors! It's the synthesis of taste!"
Iroh put a hand on Kurai's shoulder. "You should keep your lady friend around, Zuko. We'll have to make some major changes around here."
Iroh angrily took the tea pot and dumppd the tea out the window.
Kurai kissed Zuko on the cheek and left.