A/N;

First try of an Avatar fic. It's weird, Avatar is my favourite show but I've never tried writing for it before. That changes now, my friends.

If any of you are Maximum Ride, Twilight, Teen Titans or Danny Phantom fans, that's what I write for generally.

This is the Chronicles of Jet, from his childhood to the strong-willed freedom fighter that we know today.

I hope you enjoy this fanfic, and I hope I do Jet justice.

-Rain

The village was silent, not even the cry of a baby disturbing the tense, terrified quiet that had settled over the gathered people. They could all see the smoke in the distance, hear the screams from the neighbouring villages that they often traded with. The Fire Nation were coming.

Jet wrapped his arms around his mother's waist- even though at eight he considered himself a man, the fear in his heart was the kind only his mother could fix. She placed her hand on his shoulder and bent down to kiss his head.

"Villagers!" Li, a respected man of the village, called loudly, "The Fire Nation is too close for us to flee- they will only pursue us, and capture our earth benders! We must stay, we must fight!" A few men voiced their agreement.

"If we fight we will surely be overpowered!" an older man shouted from the back, "Our families will perish!"

"They will perish anyway, if we do not fight!" Li cried, "Brothers and sisters, we cannot let the Fire Nation scum take our village! If we fight, and if we die, we die with honour!"

Jet's eyes lit up- he would fight alongside his father and his brother Tai, and they would be heroes! Maybe they would sing songs about the great battle between the Fire Nation and his village, how he drove the Fire Nation back and saved them all...

There were agreements made and shouts of protest, but eventually it was decided that the village would attempt to drive off the Fire Nation. Jet was hardly listening- his head too full of excitement and wonder.

The men hurried to gather up weapons and shields, their armour simple. Jet grabbed his mother's hand.

"I want to fight!" he said fiercely, "I can help!" he looked up to find tears in his mother's brown eyes. She knelt down and hugged him tightly.

"The women and children are going to run. We have to pack our things quickly and leave with the others. Your father and your brother," her voice broke, her eyelids rapidly blinking back tears, "will follow when the fight is over." Jet shook his head stubbornly.

"I want to fight!" he repeated. She shook her head, muffled sobs barely concealed.

"We have to go, come now." She held tight to his hand and led him to their house through the panicked crowds. Jet struggled, but his mother merely tightened her grip. "Please, Jet. Please don't argue." She pleaded. Jet glared at the ground, but followed without question.

They packed all their valuables into bags, taking food and anything else that they needed and could carry. Tai and Jet's father came through the door just as they were leaving, his Dad looking stricken. Tai bent down and ruffled Jet's hair.

"Take care, Jet. I'll see you after the battle, okay?" he winked, and hugged him.

"I want to help you." Jet said angrily, "Let me come!"

"I'm sorry, son," his father cut in as Tai stepped back, "You're too young." He scooped him up into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Look after your mother, okay? I love you, Jet." Jet's mother threw herself into her husband's arms, sobbing horribly. Jet watched them, and promised himself that he'd do as his father said and look after his mother, even if he wanted to stay.

"Don't go!" she begged, "Don't do this! Tai- don't!" she grabbed her eldest son's arm, looking like she'd never let go.

"We have to, Nuan. We'll be fine, I promise." He kissed her, and then they were gone. Nuan wiped her tears away and grabbed Jet's hand.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's go join the others- we don't have much time." They locked the door behind them and ran into the streets, following the quickly-moving crowd out of the village. Jet looked back wistfully, wishing he could stay. He spotted his friend, Min, hugging her father goodbye.

"Go with Nuan and Jet." He said, taking Jet's mother by the arm. Min's mother had died many years before from an unknown sickness. Jet and Min had grown up together- Nuan acting as Min's mother because she had none. Nuan nodded at Min's father, taking his daughter's hand.

"Let's go, children." Nuan said to them, leading them away.

"I love you Daddy!" Min shouted, "Kill those Fire Nation-"

"Min," Nuan hushed her, "Please."

"Sorry." Min grumbled, grinning at Jet. Jet just scowled, still frustrated at being led away from the fighting. They walked in silence, the sound of the other children screaming and women crying speaking for them. Jet wanted nothing more than to turn around and sprint back to the village, grab a weapon and fight off the horrible Fire Nation. Eventually he pulled away from his mother, walking a little way ahead of her.

"Hey, Jet." Min whispered, suddenly right next to him.

"What?" he asked miserably.

"Lookie." She pointed her finger at the ground, and a small chunk of earth rose up. Jet blinked at her.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"We have to go back." She hissed back. "I'll bend rocks at them, and you can attack them with your tiger-claw sword thingys."

"Tiger head hook swords." He corrected. They were stashed in his backpack- a gift from his father a few years ago. "We can't! My Mom would kill us!"

"She won't even know we're gone- come on, Jet!" Min hissed, running back to Nuan. "Nuan, can we go play with the other children?" Nuan, whose eyes were red and puffy from crying, nodded slowly.

"Be careful." She warned, her voice hoarse. Jet glared at Min, but he couldn't help but feel excited. They were going to fight! They would be heroes!

"Love you, Mom." He said, hugging her tightly.

"I love you, Jet." She watched him and Min run off together, praying that her family would be together again after this was over.

--

"We shouldn't be doing this." Jet muttered softly, creeping beside Min as they doubled back, hiding in bushes and behind trees as they left the crowd behind.

"Stop being such a wuss." Min teased, her eight year old frame helping her duck and weave between branches quickly.

"I'm not!" Jet protested, "I'm worried about my Mom- Dad told me to protect her."

"Well, quit worrying. She's with everyone else- they're safe." Min told him matter-of-factly. He sighed, hurrying to keep up.

"Can you smell smoke?" he asked. Min nodded, putting a finger to her lips.

"I can hear people yelling- we have to hurry, Jet!" she cried, sprinting off. Jet followed without question, his guilt about leaving his mother behind was ebbing away, replaced by excitement about the battle.

The smoke was getting thick now- Jet and Min were choking, trying hard not to breathe in the smoke. They scrambled up the hill, crying out in horror when they finally laid eyes on their home. It was awful.

The entire village was on fire.

"Dad!" Min shrieked, running down the hill without thinking.

"Min- wait!" Jet tore after her, tackling her and pushing her to the ground. She struggled underneath him, biting at his hands.

"My Dad's down there! He's all I have left!" she sobbed.

"I know, I know! We have to be careful, Min!" He let her up, grabbing her hand. "They'll get us too if we're not quiet!" they dove back into the undergrowth, sneaking quickly down the slope and finally witnessing the bloodbath of war.

Bodies littered the streets, some with weapons still sticking out of them. Min gave a little muffled shriek, and Jet hugged her tightly.

"They're okay, they're okay!" he said urgently, desperately trying to convince himself. He felt a horrible anger burning inside him, threatening to break him if he didn't hold on to it. His father and his brother had to be okay!

"We have to find them!" Min screamed, and this time Jet didn't stop her from running into the flaming village- he just followed...

"NO! Daddy! Daddy wake up!" Min screeched, on the ground beside her Dad, shaking uncontrollably. "Wake up!" Jet quietly put his hand on her shoulder, when all he wanted to do was cry. He hadn't seen Tai or his Dad anywhere, but here was Min's father, no longer breathing...

Gone.

"We have to find them! I'll kill them for what they did!" she sobbed, smacking her fists on his chests angrily, then collapsing onto her knees. Jet wrapped his arms around her, and closed his eyes.

"You'll be okay, Min. I'll look after you. Promise." He said softly, lifting her to her feet. "Min, I want you to go and hide. I have to find my Dad, and Tai." Nodding mutely, Min ran for the trees, still shaking. Jet took a deep breath, jumping over Min's father's body. He had to be strong; he had to look after Min until they got back to his Mom...

He felt like he was going to be sick. He had been walking around for an agonisingly long time, but he still couldn't find his family. Then, he heard someone cough. He turned around, and there was his brother, lying on the ground. A blood was pooling around him, but Jet didn't care. He ran to him, kneeling beside him.

"J...et?" Tai croaked. "What are... you..." he trailed off, unable to finish.

"Tai! Where's Dad!?" Jet cried, shaking his brother's shoulders.

"They're all... gone... Jet." He breathed slowly. "The Rough... Rhinos... they followed the... women and... children... after they... fought us..." his eyes closed, Jet's tears leaking onto his face.

"NO! Tai- stay! Don't leave me! You'll be okay, I'll fix you up and you'll be okay!" A small smile found its way slowly onto the older boy's face.

"You're... a fighter... Jet. Fight... for your freedom... be strong..." then, his face relaxed, and he too was gone. Jet pounded his fists on the ground, screaming out in frustration. He lay there for a long time, crying and shaking. He didn't care about the black smoke that was enveloping him, he didn't care that the flames might burn him to a crisp. He just didn't care. Finally, he felt someone wrap their arms around his shoulders.

"Jet... we have to go back." Min told him urgently. "Get up!" Jet bit his lip, finally remembering his promise to his father, and got to his feet. His eyes met Min's, and found sadness mirroring his own.

"We'll stay together, no matter what." He said softly, and then they ran from their blazing home.

--

Death was unavoidable. It was everywhere he looked, and in the air he breathed. The horrible shrieks of terror still plagued his hearing, and he saw his dead family's faces in his dreams. They had run back to the crowd of fleeing women and children, but they were too late. The Rough Rhinos had been there, as well. They were all dead... gone. Min and Jet took to the trees, agreeing to fight for their freedom as long as they lived. Freedom fighters...

Jet liked the idea of that. He promised himself that he'd fight for his freedom, and the freedom of others, no matter the cost.

The Fire Nation wouldn't destroy any one else's lives, not if he could help it.

A/N;

This will be continued. I've got a general plot for this, so expect updates :D

I hope you enjoyed, and I love feedback.

-Rain