Disclaimer – I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

5/19/19 – I originally wrote this story because I could only find a few fanfics featuring Zuko and Jet which weren't slashfic, It is 2019 and I am still only able to find a small handful, but I would like to encourage others to write their own stories of the Friendship and/or Family genre.

I'm also working on editing the earlier chapters of the story, the first eight of which were written prior to 2010 and chapter nine was written back in Spring of 2017. I was originally planning on leaving the earlier chapters as is because my older work shows how I've grown as a dyslexic writer, but I find it is easier to work with the older stories I'm continuing if I either do a complete rewrite or edit them

Seizures
Forsaken

Jet was not happy.

The teenager felt anger seethe through his body as the Dail Li hauled him into a dismal jail cell he didn't feel he belonged in. In the back of his mind he didn't understand why the Dai Li didn't care about the potential threat of Firebenders entering the city let alone why they'd haul him into the pit of despair he now found himself in.

At least, he thought it was a jail cell.

Jet found himself slammed into what seemed like an interrogation chair as he continued yelling about the two Firebenders who were in Ba Sing Se, yet the way the Dai Li ignored him aggravated him. Jet ground his teeth together and clenched his jaw before saying, "Is the city under control of the Fire Nation or something?"

He felt the Dai Li pull his arms to the sides of the chair. Bands of earth strapped across his wrist and brow area as he squirmed, but the rock was hard and clammy. A lamp stated going round and round, but he heard the voice of one of the Dai Li attempting to implement thoughts into his head, yet Jet found himself rejecting the thought with his entire being.

"There was no war."

A shiver ran through his body upon realizing he no longer physically fought the restraints. Thankfully, every fiber of Jet's body still knew there was a war going on outside the walls. Said war formulated who he was but was a part of where he came from even if some of his past mistakes were not to his personal liking. The idea of forgetting his anger and hatred of Firebenders tore at his very being, but then something hit him.

Something hit his being which was worse which somehow threw the suggestion the Dai Li were attempting to implement into his mind out the window. Jet opened his mouth and tried to say something, but the words refused to come out of his mouth. His eyes opened and closed despite his attempts at keeping his eyes away from the spinning light as his head started to pound and his eyes kept being drawn to the light.

"Spirits. Blast those stupid Firebenders. If it weren't for them I wouldn't be in here feeling as if a rock just hit me in the temple." Jet's eyes blinked, but the pain was immense. A sudden spasm running through his entire body. Jet felt his entire body involuntarily strain against the rock restraints as a strangled cry erupted from his throat.

Something was definitely wrong, but he found himself slipping mentally as his body contorted more erratically as the seconds ticked by while the man in front of him continued to chant. "There is no war."

The man only stopped when another person stepped between Jet and the light. "Stop! We won't be able to brainwash the boy! He's one of those!"

"One of those who ends up with fits of seizures upon exposure?" the other man asked. "I don't understand. He looked completely healthy."

"Not anymore. Obviously, there was something wrong with him that we didn't notice when we brought him, just as there were others with whom the ailment wasn't evident in. It's going to show now and no one will want to listen to his yammering about Firebenders as they'll take them as someone who is possibly addled in the head."

"No," the teenager though. Jet realized his body was continuing to shake involuntarily, but he felt as if he was going to bite his tongue off. He also felt as if he were trying to forget every memory one at a time, not to mention whatever was going on made his head feel as if it were on fire. He felt a piece of rock piece jammed painfully into his mouth in a sad attempt at preventing him from biting down.

"A pity. He would have been such a useful tool." The man who stepped in front of the light didn't hide his disgust. "But now he's useless to all of societly."

"No." Was all the young man could think, but the last thing he ever wanted to be useless. His body in fact finally stopped contorting and whoever jammed in the disgusting rock removed the offending item. He found himself attempting to speak. "I… am… rine. Get… te… Riler…benter." His eyes snapped shut in disgust.

"Well, it looks we won't need to complete the breaking of his mind as his speech has already partially gone," the man said. Nobody bothered putting the rock back into the young man's mouth. He stepped away and the light started going around again causing his's body to contort again as a strangled cry escaped his lips. He wanted to yell at his captures demanding they let him go, yet even calling out for help proved an impossible feat.

Instead, his whole mind was shattering, and he didn't think getting everything back would be possible.

~A~

Zuko found himself looking at the wreckage of the shop wondering how the situation between him and Jet became so bad. He found himself unable to look the shop owner in the eye knowing he and his uncle were the reason why the shop ended up wrecked even though he'd not started the fight with Jet. His mind went back to those who held prejudices towards him on the road even when he had the best intentions in mind.

Worse, the look on Iroh's face was one of those looks which indicated his uncle was disappointed in him. The shop keeper didn't catch the look on his uncle's face and instead waved them away telling them they could go home early as he would need to clean up the shop after the Dai Li hauled the boy away. Iroh continued giving him the look while they walked away from the carnage and Zuko's mouth twisted into a deep frown. "What did I do this time?"

"Nothing nephew." Iroh said, yet Zuko didn't believe this true particularly when it was followed by a sigh. " I just thought you got along quite well with that other man, but I thought that after you fought a bit that perhaps you two could have settled your differences and became friends. After all, it is normal for boys to settle disputes this way."

"You know that wouldn't have happened Uncle. He hates Firebenders."

"But the four of you stole that food for everyone." Iroh muttered in a manner which indicated his disappointment.

"Haven't you gotten mad at me for stealing in the past?" Zuko snapped, remembering all to well the things he'd done before separating from his uncle."

"It depends completely on the moral grounds nephew and whether you did it for the right reasons, or our of desperation in your heart. That is what true honor is about, in part."

"I know, I know, but I don't get these ethics and honor stuff you keep telling me about. In fact, I don't understand how one can tell what is morally correct let alone honorable."

"Yes. Your father raised you well." The tone in Iroh's voice indicated a bit of disdain.

"Uncle…" Zuko pulled back slightly, startling at his Uncle saying such things against his father, let alone the Fire Lord. He watched Iroh stop in his tracks and turned back to see the old man's mouth pushed into a thin line. "What?"

"No. Listen Zuko." The tone indicated he wasn't going to hold back. "Your father has no real honor, but has left you with a very crippled idea…"

"What? I was trying to ask you to explain how one knows whether something is honorable or not and you lecture me about father again."

Iroh took a deep breath. "Your father has taught you that honor is about ones achievements and major accomplishments, but winning no matter what the cost."

"So it's not about winning?"

"No, it's not about winning." Iroh looked Zuko directly in the eye. "Honor is about doing what is stuck in your heart screaming to be let out. It's about doing what your heart feels is right rather than what others say, sometimes even going against what your head tells you to do because it is so engrained into you that thing in your head is the right thing to do even if it might not be."

The two arrived at the apartment at that point and Zuko went over to his bed and lay down. "Whatever."

Iroh went to his own bed and was soon snoring while Zuko didn't want to think of the days events. His head turned and he caught sight of something blue and white sticking out of everything and bit his lip. He heard Iroh turn over in his sleep, but also speak. "Where is that poor boy."

Zuko bit down further on his lip and reached out for the mask tucked under his pillow. He sat up and changed into his clothing so he could become the Blue Spirit, yet didn't see his Uncle open one eye while he wasn't looking. Instead, Iroh continued snoring indicating he was indeed asleep.

5-30-2019 – I've finished rewriting the chapter. This is no longer called the prologue as it isn't one, but I also found myself adding five-hundred words without changing the plot.