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Wrongly Arrested

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So I have been wrongly arrested by the guards for being a pervert. It is not what it looks like, but I can't explain without incriminating myself further with Longshot and Smellerbee. I think it is better for them to think that I ruined their date for some sick pervy pleasure than the real reason. So I have let them think that I was getting my rocks off perving at all the naked girls, even though Smellerbee will not shut up about it!

She is most displeased when they had to bail me out. I wasn't perving on the ladies, thank you very much. If I wanted to see a naked lady, I would just have to head to the nearest pub – finding a girl to take her clothes off for me has never been a problem. Chicks dig me alright. And I dig them! I don't dig anything but chicks!

I appreciate the sight of the naked ladies…but I wasn't perving. Legit. I had other reasons to be peering in their window. That reason may have been that I was stalking Lee again. Here in lies the dilemma – I can let Smellerbee and Longshot think I'm a dirty pervert who perves on ladies and listen to smellerbee harangue me about objectification. Or I can confess to Lee stalking again and listen to both of them go off their nut about how it is weird and wrong and I really have to let it go. They would probably step up their surveillance on me too. Faced with this choice I have opted for letting them think I am a heterosexual pervert, rather than a big gay stalker.

This whole situation is really unfair.

This night sucks! I have now spent ages in lock up. Have had the guards also assume that I am gay for Lee and give me an abundance of useless 'advice'. I also owe Lee three florins and that is the worst of all. I am now indebted to a fucking firebender again! This whole night is his fault. I hate Lee more that I have words to describe. I definitely hate him more than he hates me. If hate were people, I'd be Ba Sing Se and he'd be some crappy city like Gaipan.

#

So what happened was this; Smellerbee and Longshot have arranged their work shifts so that one of them is always with me this week – watching me either surreptitiously or not so surreptitiously. They each have different solo stalking-stopping styles – Longshot just stares me down, Smellerbee puts on this stupid beard and wants to talk about my problems with me. This is ostensibly for my own good and to stop me from 'relapsing'. They took my promise during their intervention seriously and have done their best to hold me to it. The three of us have spent a great deal of time together in an enclosed space and I'm sure one of us was going to crack. I just thought it would be Smellerbee.

Smellerbee bought this beard and book from a street hawker – it apparently is meant to make her 'understand people better.' She has diagnosed me with several things outlined in the book. According to Smellerbee, my 'desire' for Lee is narcissistic in nature, because we have similar build, stature and hair (I protested about the hair bit – my hair is awesome and Lee's hair sucks). I also have an obsessive personality (thus my obsession with Lee). According to the book, I must go cold turkey and stop all contact with Lee and the first week will be the hardest.

Ever since Smellerbee read that – she has been on my case about not stalking Lee and making sure that either she or Longshot is always with me. I hate that book. I hid it from her on top of the cupboard – she is too short to reach it – suck that Smellerbee! She was most displeased. Actually ended up reading the stupid book on Longshot's next shift because it was so unrelentingly boring being trapped in the one room with someone who doesn't speak. Anyway reading the book gave me a few ideas.

Idea one: slowly convince Smellerbee that I am okay – using words and phrases found in her book. Ha! Two can play at that game. It was working and she was starting to think I was on the road to recovery.

Idea two: get Longshot and Smellerbee to distract each other – so that I can once again breathe the sweet air of freedom. If those two go out on a date together – that will give me at least four unsupervised hours. Whenever me and Longshot were alone, I started to encourage him to act on his ever-present crush on Smellerbee.

I'm not actually being a bastard here – because I know she likes him back. I wouldn't encourage him if I knew she didn't feel the same way. Longshot has always adored Smellerbee and I suggested that maybe the time had come to DO something about it. We are in a new city, we are making a fresh start – why not make a fresh start with her, or even better yet; get fresh with her!

So tonight, after a more than a week of nearly constant supervision, my opportunity to escape came. Longshot asked Smellerbee out. they went out into the corridor, so that I wouldn't overhear, but I listened in anyway. So Longshot actually did it. He properly asked her out on a date DATE, and if she would like to be his girlfriend. He actually used his words to do this too. Which is a big step for him. He only talks for really important things. Smellerbee blushed like I have never seen her blush before (okay, I was watching through the keyhole as well as listening in – but it wasn't in a creeepy way, I just wanted to see how they got on.)

Smellerbee wanted to go on the date, but wasn't sure about leaving me on my own. I managed to convince her that I was completely over stalking Lee and her little book and all her 'therapy' and 'talking about my feelings' had really helped. And I didn't want to ruin her and Longshot's date (that part actually wasn't a lie). Eventually in the face of my reasonableness and with the anticipation of young love – Longshot and Smellerbee left. I had to promise them several times that I wouldn't stalk Lee, and I would just stay in the shelter.

They were just small white lies.

#

Longshot had saved up enough money to take Smellerbee to the zoo on a date. The zoo is friggin expensive – so this was a 'serious' date. He wanted to treat Smellerbee to the full shebang – dinner and zoo and everything. Who knew that Longshot was a closet romantic? Who knew that smellerbee was come to think of it. She borrowed a dress from the chick down the hall and washed her face and everything. Anyway, Longshot offered her his arm like he was some pansy-arse in a romance scroll and they wandered off together. Their date should keep them occupied for hours.

#

I just intended to have a little stalk – I really did. Just to see what the sneaky wily Lee is up to. That was all! But shit happens and things go wrong and people accidentally get arrested for being perverts.

It happens.

#

Went to the teashop. It is much busier now. Full of upper-ringers who come into the district "slumming it" with these really creepy guides that have no expression. Like me, the upper ringers are under constant supervision and have to have a creepy guide everywhere they go. The creepy guides really freak Lee out. He always takes a couple of steps back and looks unnerved whenever one of them talks to him directly. One of them walked silently up behind him and said something to him and surprised the shit out of him. He squealed like a little pansy-arse little girl and dropped the teapot he was holding.

It was hilarious.

I was pleased that it still sucks to be Lee. Whenever I feel gloomy about the state of everything, I think about how crappy Lee's life is (no shags, lives with nudist, weirdo Uncle in a shitty apartment and he works a shitty job) and it always cheers me up immensely.

#

The Fat Uncle has apparently joined a Pai Sho tournament and had won two coupons for the full treatment at the district baths. He and Lee where going to use them that night after they closed up. There was much talk from Lee about how Pai Sho wasn't that useless after all and the Fat Uncle would smile like Lee had just handed him a million dollars whenever he said that.

#

I followed them. I couldn't follow them into the baths, but I checked around the building. Took me ages to find them again. Some of the pools and baths just have slatted blinds for better ventilation, and I was looking through one of these windows and I saw Lee and Fat Uncle sitting in one of the warm pools.

Couldn't see anything under the waterline. Not that I wanted to see anything under the water line. Have already seen everything Uncle's got under the water line anyway. But I could see their chests. This is the first time I have seen Lee without his shirt. I wasn't looking in that way or anything, but I did look in a completely objective fashion. And couldn't help but notice that Lee is really fit.

He is super buff.

Not in a big, beefy way – but just in an exceptionally muscular way. Like, legit, he doesn't just have a six pack – he has like a friggin baker's dozen. What is with that? Does he do nothing but sit ups in his spare time?

It really pissed me off just quietly.

I am the most muscular guy I know. I am proud of my hot body. I work hard at maintaining it. I flex all the time for the ladies and I've only ever had compliments about how fit I am. I can beat almost anyone – even the Avatar- in a fair fight. The only person I've ever lost to was bossy sexy Katara and she cheated. I would like to be comfortable in the knowledge that I could crush Lee if it ever came to a physical fight. I always thought I would be the physically stronger one. But seeing him shirtless gave me pause for thought.

He could be stronger.

Fuck it!

I have let myself go in this city. Without climbing trees everyday, I have definitely lost some muscle definition. After this I am going to start going for runs and doing sit ups and shit. I am definitely going to challenge Lee to an arm wrestle next time I see him – just to settle it once and for all, which one of us is the stronger and more badass. It's totally me... but I just have to be sure.

Anyway I was thinking this sort of thing, when they got up and moved pools. I tried to follow, but I ended up looking through the wrong slats. Or the right slats, depending on how you look at things. I realized pretty quickly that I was looking into the ladies changing area.

Nice.

It honestly was just an honest mistake. I didn't look look – but no one will believe me.

Okay fine, I looked – but how could I not. It was a room full of naked and semi naked women. How could I not look? Perhaps I appreciated the view for a little bit too long. Because before I knew it, one of those girls had looked up and seen me. She held my eye contact for exactly one second before she started screaming her head off.

Look I could see why she made the initial mistake that I was perving – but she didn't even give me a chance to explain before she did that whole screaming thing. This parts a bit of a blur. Security guy ran in, and wanting to be the big hero to a bunch of naked ladies, he flung the window open and smacked me in the face with it.

#

I woke up in the atrium of the place – flat on my arse with a pounding headache. I could hear the girl ranting to some officer about how she felt violated by having some pervert peering in the window at her. It took me two seconds to realise that she was talking about me.

I opened my eyes and saw Lee and his Uncle and two of the city guards standing over me. One of the guards remarked oh he's waking up in a dopey voice. This guard would later be revealed to be the brains of the outfit. His partner is possibly the stupidest man on the planet and may in fact have ferrets living in the space where his brain should be.

Lee nudged me with his foot and said wake up Jet – these nice officers are going to take you away. Dopey asked is he a friend of yours then? Lee snorted and said I wouldn't say that. I said with some sarcasm that I wasn't too fucking fond of him either. This is obviously the sort of response that Lee and Fat Uncle have come to expect from me. Fat Uncle said oh good, he's okay – shall we go back? Lee opted to stay to ensure I was treated the way I deserved. He was enjoying this too much.

Fuck you too Lee.

Anyway the guards were a bit harsh with me (because I had been caught being a dirty pervert). Lee seemed to enjoy this. He asked what would happen to me and ferret brain said that I was going in the slammer till someone bales me out – and I panicked a little. I just... I had a bad experience once. A really bad experience. Ever since then I can't stand to be confined in anything that resembles a cell. I just can't. I wouldn't call it claustrophobia. It's more like jail-a-phobia. Jail-a-phobia makes me a complete moron. Obviously that is the only explanation for the following events.

I had a horrible thought. How would Smllerbee and Longshot know where to find me? As far as they knew, I was still at home in the refugee shelter. They'd come home and I wouldn't be there and they'd never know to come and bale me out. I didn't trust the bureaucracy in this town for one second, and ferret brain wasn't even capable of buttoning his shirt right – let alone delivering a message. If I had been thinking clearly, I would have realised that Smellerbee and Longshot are both smart enough to check with the local law enforcement eventually, when I go missing. But I didn't think of that then, did I.

No, instead I panicked like an idiot and tried to escape – but they had me in cuffs and escape was difficult. It was a messy struggle and I squirmed like crazy and stepped on Dopey's foot and used his surprise to wrench free. But all that struggle was in vain because the tiled floor was ridiculously wet and slippery from where friggin Lee had been friggin dripping on it. So I slipped in the puddle and fell flat on my arse and was once again apprehended – and this time Dopey was pissed off with me.

The guards started dragging me away and then I lost my nut a little. It was the jail-a-phobia talking, not me. I just couldn't go back into a cell again... I shouted various panicked things and then I saw Lee still there. I shouted at him to get Longshot and Smellerbee and they were at the Zoo. He crossed his arms and said why should I? I didn't have a reason for him, not one that would convince him and I ended up just saying the lamest thing ever.

Please.

I have now said please to Lee and I was surprised that the universe didn't implode in on itself when that happened, because surely the day that I say please to a firebender is the day that the world fucking ends because nothing makes sense anymore. Lee looked exceptionally surprised when I said it. But then the cops hauled me down the street and I couldn't see him anymore.

#

I spent the next little while hating Lee more than any person on this planet. He was such a fucking bastard, I bet he was enjoying this. I was sure that he was just going to let me rot in here and let Smellerbee and Longshot worry and gloat over our collective misery like the evil firebender he is. I spent a long time imagining the various ways that I would tie him up and make him beg for mercy when I next saw him.

I was in the holding cell for a while, until Ferretbrain came in to take my statement. I tried to explain how it had all been an honest mistake. I wasn't perving on the ladies. I was collecting proof of firebenders in the city. I was doing my civic duty. I was making Ba Sing Se safer. I was doing a public service. Ferretbrain gave me a look that said bitch please . There obviously must be some sort of procedural rule to follow up leads on firebenders because he asked me what I had found out. I thought finally! Someone who would listen to me – of course I didn't know how stupid ferretbrain was at that point.

I outlined my suspicions, starting with how I met Lee on the ferry and right up until tonight and this whole pervert misunderstanding. Ferretbrain listened and seemed rather amused at one point. I was just glad that someone from a legitimate law enforcing body was listening to me – so I answered all his questions. At the end of my story, Ferretbrain gave me a long look. Then he said that he just wanted to make sure that he got the story straight. He repeated the story back to me, but he made it sound so tawdry and gay!

He said so let me get this straight, you met this boy on the ferry – asked him to join your merry men – to which he said no. You then saw his uncle with hot tea. From that you decided that the boy was a firebender and have since proceeded to follow him everywhere around the city. In fact you were perving on him in the baths this afternoon – not the ladies.

I got irate a protested a great deal. Yes, I had been looking at Lee ands not the ladies this afternoon – but I was looking at him in the completely non-gay way. I was not doing anything that could be remotely misconstrued as perving. Ferret brain looked through his notes and pointed out that I had mentioned/complained at length about Lee's muscular, fit body. I had obviously had a good look and that sounded a little pervy to Ferrethead.

It was then that I realized Ferrethead is the stupidest man on the planet.

Ferrethead didn't realize his own stupidity. Ferrethead in fact, felt sorry for me. Ferrethead said that he believed me. Not about Lee being a firebender, but about me not perving on the ladies. He then offered me some friendly advice. He said that if Lee did not want to be my boyfriend, I had to accept that. He told me that a few of the guards also pitched their tent on the other side of the field, and there were some specialized teashops I could go to that had a select clientele. I could find someone else who was more than happy to be a merry man with me. Then it would be unlikely that misunderstandings, like the misunderstanding that had happened tonight would happen to me.

I was about to get exceptionally angry (always unwise with law enforcement). But it was precisely at that moment that Smellerbee and Longshot showed up. Smellerbee was looking very pretty. She was also looking at me like she wanted to cut me. Longshot also gave me a look that said dude, you ruined our first date – that is so not cool. Behind them was Lee, looking grumpy. Well he always looks grumpy, so I guess he was just looking how he normally does.

Smellerbee ranted that I was a peeping tom now on top of everything else. Perving on ladies in the baths was officially rock bottom. She couldn't leave me alone for five minutes etc. Her evening had been ruined because of me and she was surprised and ashamed of me. Lee watched Smellerbee rant at me with this amused look on his face – because he always likes seeing other people shout at/berate me.

I wanted got kick him in his gonads. He wouldn't find it so fucking funny then.

Ferrethead was also amused by Smellerbee. He let her rant herself out, then explained that he was going to let me off with a warning and a small fine. We had to pay the fine before I could be released. Because the zoo is so bloody expensive – Longshot didn't have enough cash to cover the fine and was three florins short.

He looked at Lee in a way that said dude can I borrow three florins to get my crazy friend out of lock up before he goes even crazier. Smellerbee turned and looked at Lee with a look that said please just lend us the florins so we can get out of here and go home – my date has already been ruined and this night can only go down hill from here, so don't make it worse for me. Ferretface gave him a look that said I don't care who pays just as long as someone pays. I gave him a look that said you are the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

The silence got awkward. Lee asked why are you all looking at me? But even the penny (or the three florins) dropped for him after a few seconds. He said Hell no! and then fuck it! And reached into his pocket and gave the coins to Smellerbee and Longshot with a great deal of disgruntlement. He said you guys owe me! Smellerbee gave him a grateful look and said thanks Lee. She promised she'd pay him back. Lee said that if they were short for cash, he would accept payment in the form of me not stalking him any longer. Smellerbee agreed to the terms for me.

He was about to stomp off – when Ferretface asked him to wait for a second. He asked me if this was Lee, the one I was stalking Lee. I confirmed. He looked at Lee appraisingly and said that he had a few questions to for him. Lee put on his politest I-don't-want-any-trouble-officer-I-swear-that's-not-even-mine voice and asked what Ferretface wanted to know.

Ferretface looked over his notes and said that it was district policy that any allegations of firebending be investigated. There had been an allegation against Lee. Lee gave me an extremely unimpressed face. If looks could burn, I swear I would have been ashes just from that Look.

Ferretface said that it was a simple process, he only had two questions. Lee nodded. Ferretface's first question was are you a firebender? Lee looked taken aback but the directness of the question and said err…no. Ferretface nodded and said good to know! Okay second question: do you intend to harm the citizens of Bas Sing Se? Lee once again answered negative. Ferretface clapped his hands together, announced he was completely satisfied and thanked Lee for his co-operation. Lee asked if he could go now and Ferretface said he was excused.

Ferretface turned to me and said see Jet, he is not a firebender. I was a bit cross. I admit that for a brief second there, I thought that Ferretface had believed me and Lee was finally going to get dragged away by the cops – like he deserves! I had a glimmer of hope that was cruelly dashed by Ferretface's incompetence. I pointed out that I did not think it was enough just ask him? Did Ferretface really think it was enough to just ask him? Ferretface shrugged and said well, he would know, wouldn't he?

I did not find this funny.

Ferretface sighed and said that I would need actual proof and about a dozen eyewitnesses – before any allegation of firebending would be taken seriously. Then he and Longshot filled in some paper work. Because Longshot is the oldest and legally an adult in Ba Sing Se, I have been released into his custody. Longshot is now the boss of me and I have a feeling he will hold this over me for a long time to come.

#

Smellerbee has now been ranting for approximately three hours. She must be about to run out of steam soon. I tried at one point to stop the rant and said that I hadn't been perving on those women. Smellerbee put her hands on her hips and asked what was I doing then? Before I could answer she said I hope you weren't stalking Lee. I had my suspicions when he came to get us, but I am dismissing it as a coincidence. Because if you were stalking Lee it means that you completely broke your promise to me and Longshot and made a mockery of the trust we put in you – trust that you will never get back. When she put it like that, I decided that it was safer for all concerned if I confessed to being a pervert instead.

#

Smellerbee was on me-watching-shift. The therapy beard didn't come out, but she did lecture me at length again, about how I need a job, I need to stop obsessing and I need to just get my shit together. It's a hard adjustment for all of us to be living a new city and away from the trees – but I had to let the freedom fighter days go. I wasn't fighting firebenders here, I just had to make a new start, find a job and live a life.

She was very insistent about the job thing. She said that I now owed Lee three florins and neither she nor Longshot would lend it to me. I knew she knew how my pride couldn't stand to be indebted to fucking Lee – and it worked like a charm. Somehow, I don't know how – she tricked me into volunteering to help out at the bakery tomorrow morning – I told her I was just doing it until I have enough cash to pay Lee back.

#

Actually had a fun morning with Smellerbee and earned five florins for my trouble. She explained the situation to her boss, who is a nice guy even though he is even fatter than Fat Uncle. He put me to work kneading bread. I spent the whole time punching it and imagining it was Lee's face. I have been declared a good kneader by Fat Baker. He doesn't have a job for me, but he told me that his friend who runs the pastry shop near the market might need somebody. I declined.

Smellerbee elbowed me strongly when I did so. She is most unimpressed. But I am not bakery/patisserie material. I didn't want to say it out loud and hurt Smellerbee's feelings, but I am above working in a bakery. A baker's life is so dull and boring and that might be alright for Smellerbee, but I need something more! I can't just do any old dull and boring job, like a bakery or a working in a toy shop. I'm not like Smellerbee and Longshot. I need excitement in my job. After leading the freedom fighters, anything else would be beneath me.

#

Smellerbee had to do her deliveries. One of these deliveries is several tray loads of dumplings to Lee's teashop. She offered to pass along the three florins for me – but I protested that I wanted to do it myself. I could help her carry the trays. I was over stalking Lee. Moreover, I wanted him to know that I was not a deadbeat and I was paying him back with my own money. Smellerbee acquiesced after a long argument.

#

Lee was at the market when we got there.

#

Smellerbee was torn. I am normally left at the shelter, and Smellerbee and Longshot have arranged their schedules around guarding me there. This was the first time that they had to do a shift handover with me out and about. I sniffed the possibility of freedom again. Smellerbee was undecided. She had deliveries still to do, and she had to get them all done before 11. She also wanted to frog march me back to the shelter to make sure I didn't get into anymore shenanigans. I promised and cajoled and urged. I told her that I was fine and I would walk back home on my own. I was completely capable of that. I would go straight there right now. She shouldn't be late for her deliveries on my account. Smellerbee left me against her better judgement and assured me that she would check with Longshot about what time I got back. I am unsure as to what this threat is supposed to imply.

#

Found Lee at the market. Wasn't sneaking this time and I walked right up to him. He sighed and rolled his eyes like he's the biggest fucking martyr in the entire world when he saw me coming. We had our usual confrontation. He told me to fuck off, go fuck myself etc. Today he added that I could go perve on ladies in the bath instead – as that seemed to be my new hobby. Just to be a fucking cheeky bastard.

I said that I just wanted to pay him back. Lee made a big hoo-haa about how he would really prefer payment in the form of my cessation of the stalking. I told him to just take the bloody money and to stop being a fucking git. Take the cash and then we'd be square. Lee said fine and held out his hand – but then it got awkward because I only had a five florin coin and I totally wanted my change! Lee sighed again. (He really had perfected that incredibly frustrated and long-suffering sigh). He bought some spicy dumplings to break the five and gave me my change.

I stood awkwardly for a second and Lee told me to run along now and made a shooing gesture. I will not be shooed in such a patronizing fashion! I also had a question for Lee. It had been bugging me all night. See I really thought he would leave me in the slammer to rot. But he'd gone out of his way and found Smellerbee and Longshot for me when he really didn't have to.

It was fucking confusing.

I hate it when Lee does shit like this. The helping me shit had to stop! It's really fucking annoying. I think he does it to mess with my head. Because he has obviously got some devious plan in the works. He does shit like this and I end up owing him in a non-monetary way. It's like the tigerdillo but worse. I can't pay him back for getting Longshot and Smellerbee the other night and that pisses me off!

I followed him (he sighed again) and I said I just had to ask him why he had done it? He said that he had obviously taken too many blows to the head and had some sort of brain damage. That was the only explanation he could come up with for why he'd given up his night off to help me out. I made a face at him and then he said fine! I did it because you said please…and because you really flipped the fuck out when you realized they were going to put you in the slammer. What was with that? I mumbled about how I once had a bad experience in jail. He asked me what happened. I gave him an incredulous look and said I. Had. A. Bad. Experience. Okay.

I said that I didn't do well being locked up and that was all that Lee needed to know. Lee nodded like he understood, when there is no way that he could fucking understand this feeling.

Lee stopped with his shopping and looked up at the sky beseechingly as if asking the spirits for patience. Then he said that he had some advice for me and I had to not be a psycho for two minutes and listen. He said that the district guards, the one I had been arrested by last night, were one thing. But the Dai Li were another friggin batch of nastiness altogether. And I really had to get my shit together, watch myself and not mention the war or firebenders.

Ah, now I could see where he was going with his. He put his basket down, slapped me upside the head and said that he was serious and he was telling me for my own good. He picked up the basket, sighed again, grabbed me by my collar, said come on and dragged me into an alley.

I would just like to point out that he dragged me!

He looked around and checked for other people. He was acting really shifty and suspicious – but it was a different sort of shifty and suspicious than I was used to seeing from him. It made me nervous seeing Lee unnerved… just quietly. He lowered his voice and told me that Dai Li were fucking serious business and there more and more of them in the district now and I had to watch myself. Didn't I notice how no one mentioned the war lately? I have been kept in solitary confinement by Smellerbee and Longshot for the past ten days and haven't.

Lee looked at me with an incredulous expression. Then he shook his head and said that I should at least know who to avoid. We were right on the corner of the alley and he pointed out where a few of the Dai Li agents were hiding and watching the market. The uniform is different to the district guards. They looked like badasses. Lee explained that anyone who mentioned the war had 'disappeared' with the Dai Li. They'd taken a few of the seamstresses and some of the district guards the other night and the market patisserie had lost two apprentices the night before that.

He told me that now that more upper-ringers came down into the district, the Dai Lee and the Joo Dees came with them. What's a Joo Dee? Lee pointed out one of the creeper guides with the blank faces. She was leading a group of obviously posh people, who were trying to 'fit' in with us poor folks. It made me a bit mad actually – they were gawking around like this was a zoo and we were the exhibits.

Lee said that apparently the Joo Dees were the lucky ones. They were women who had previously been arrested by the Dai Li. They'd be gone for months, sometimes years and then they would reappear. They wouldn't know their own family, or even their own names. They'd just be this blank empty shell of a person. And they gave Lee the fucking creeps. If that was what being lucky was, then Lee would prefer to be killed outright.

I ask how did Lee know all this. He looked a bit uncomfortable and said that I missed a bit in my week off stalking him. There had been an incident in the teashop. One of the Joo Dees had apparently lived in this district. His boss had told him that the Dai Li were normally good about never sending Joo Dees anywhere they might be recognized. But there had been a botch up somewhere along the way. This Joo Dee was tending to her clients when this young girl ran in and wrapped herself around the Joo Dee's knees. The Joo Dee was the girls' mother, but after whatever the Dai Li had done to her, she didn't recognize her own kid.

The girl got a bit distraught and kept saying Mum, It's me over and over again. The Joo Dee acted like she couldn't hear the girl properly and kept saying I am not Mum, I am Joo Dee. One of the customers knew the girl and the mother. She had picked the girl up and carried her out the back. His Uncle and this woman had stayed out there and tried to calm the girl down.

And it was a close thing too, because the Dai Li came in only two minutes later. Everyone in the front of the shop swore black and blue that nothing unusual had happened and there was no war in Ba Sing Se. And the whole thing was intense and creepy and messed up.

After that, his boss had explained to Lee and his Uncle about the Dai Li. Because that had shop many friggin upper-ringers now, their teashop was always getting Dai Li inspections now. He said look, you get arrested by the Dai Li and fucking bad things happen to you. And if the Joo Dees are the lucky ones, I don't even want to know what happens to everyone else.

Lee didn't want any trouble with the Dai Li and had been really friggin careful since they had shown up. He said if I was smart I would do the same. If I kept going on about firebenders – I would be the next one to disappear. Couldn't I let this whole grudge against the firenation go – couldn't I see that there were worse things out there than firebenders? I inhaled sharply. I could not believe he had just said that. A wave of intense fury swept through me. Let it go? Did he really just say that? I said that the Dai Li might be messed up – but there is nothing worse than firebenders.

I said how could Lee ever expect me to let it go? After what happened to my village! I told him that Longshot, Smellerbee and I all came from a completely insubstantial village that wasn't there anymore. It was on the road between two of the firenation colonies. Because our village was so small we had been deemed not worth colonizing – however that didn't mean that we weren't worth killing. There were only ten houses and a market – they could have let us be! But instead the firebenders had rounded everybody up into Old Man Shang's barn, locked and barred it on the outside… and set it on fire.

There was only one way out – the window at the top of the barn. My dad climbed up there with me and Longshot and Smellerbee, as we were the three kids of the village. We were on the second floor and it looked like such a long way down. He made me hop on his back and he grabbed Longshot under one arm and Smellerbee under the other. He told us all to hang on and then he took a little run up and jumped clear of the flames.

He had done that so he would take the brunt of the fall for us. I understood that now. He landed badly, and busted his ankle, but we were fine. One of those monsters had heard us and rode around the side to investigate. Dad told me run for it and to take Longshot and Smellerbee into the forest and hide there and he'd distract the firebender so we could get away. He did.

I saw the whole thing. I saw what that firebender did to my wonderful, brave dad and how afterwards he stood over him and fucking laughed. The others came round the back and some of the other people from our village tried jumping out the window too. So they started cutting down anyone else who jumped - to seal off the only escape. Everyone from my village died that day, except for Longshot, Smellerbee and I.

If Lee thinks that I can just get over that and let that go – he's got another thing coming. I will never get over that! I will never let it go! Lee was looking at me with wide-eyed shock. I had startled him. I was starling myself. I never talk about this. ever. Not even with Bossy, Sexy Katara – and I thought that if anyone might understand, she would. Not even with Smellerbee when she was in therapy mode. Smellerbee can't talk about this day either. Longshot hasn't really spoken a word since it happened.

Lee was looking at me like he felt really sorry for me and I just hated him so much right then. I hated that somehow I had ended up blabbing my whole sorry story to him. I felt like he had tricked me into talking about it somehow. Lee started to say that he hadn't realized and he was so sor.. I cut him off there and gave him the biggest shove and told him that if he dared say he was sorry to me – I would kill him where he stood. He didn't get to be sorry. Firebenders didn't get to be sorry after something like that. And he should never tell me to just get over it and let it go again – because that wasn't going to happen.

I said that no matter how bad the Dai Li was – they were still nothing compared to the Rough Rhinos. I wasn't going to rest until the world had been ridded of firebenders. All firebenders were just evil and they shouldn't be allowed to live after all the things they have done! I would prefer to be taken by the Dai Li than having to tolerate living in the same district as a firebender. Lee gave me a hard look and said well you just might get your wish.

#


Author's note: YMMV may vary on everything.

So this is the first time Jet get's wrongfully (or rightfully) arrested. The public baths that he peeks in on are similar to the roman style of bathhouse in my imagination. Not many people have bathrooms in their apartments in the Lower Ring. I imagine that while most daily washing was done with a bucket and a sponge – there would still be a bathhouse for people who really wanted/could afford a more thorough wash. Iroh and Zuko are used to the finer things and would relish a chance to get properly clean. Iroh is supplementing their income through Pai Sho gambling.

That Wang-fire beard that Sokka has in nightmares and daydreams – was purchased in Ba Sing Se. Smellerbee has bought a similar Wang-fire beard and a book on psychological disorders (as she is sure Jet has one, maybe several). She puts the beard on for her and Jet's "therapy sessions."

Smellerbee and Longshot and Jet are a family. They have been through so much together –I think he was the oldest kid when they escaped the barn fire and would have really looked after them for those first few years in the forest. So Smellerbee and Longshot are going to stick with him no matter what.

Longshot has had a crush on Smellerbee for a long time and has finally acted on it. Smellerbee reciprocates and it's all a bit sweet. I admit it. I ship Longshot/Smellerbee. Of course their first romantic date is ruined by Jet's shenanigans.

Zuko would have jumped the fence at the zoo –using his ninja sneaky powers, and found them on their date and told them about how Jet was arrested for being a pervert and they needed to bail him out. I think Zuko likes Longshot and Smellerbee well enough – he doesn't hold Jet's stalking against them at least. He and Smellerbee also have a chat every few days, if he's in the back when she delivers the dumplings and they have become…not friends, but friendly acquaintances at least.

Jet would have really freaked out at the thought of going into the slammer and would have been a bit hysterical. Hysterical enough to say please to Zuko and that it pretty distressed. Zuko would have been perturbed by the please. Initially he would have gone back into the bath house and thought why should I…stupid Jet, serves him right…just because he really freaked out and neither of his friends know where he is ….doesn't mean that I should do anything. But Zuko's really not that much of a bastard and his conscience would have gotten the better of him and he would have made his excuses to his Uncle and gone to find Longshot and Smellerbee. Zuko doesn't like Jet. He is annoyed and frustrated by him. But he doesn't hate him at this stage and so he isn't just going to let him rot.

I also have brought up the Joo Dees and the Dai Li. I think that the guy who offers Iroh the teashop in the upper ring heard about him from all the people who come into the lower ring districts to "slum it." Iroh/his tea is flavour of the month in the right circles. But upper ringers aren't allowed to go anywhere unescorted, and so the Joo Dee's start trickling in. They give everyone, especially Zuko, the creeps. Zuko would have been really unnerved by that mother who didn't recognize her own daughter.

Anyway the Dai Li's presence had increased in district 27 and now everyone is on their best behavior. Jet and Longshot and Smellerbee don't know that much about them at this stage. Jet has been constantly supervised at the shelter and Smellerbee and Longshot's shops aren't really on the Dai Li radar.

Zuko is trying to do a nice thing for Jet when he warns him about the Dai Li. Because they are really bad bastards and Jet will attract their attention sooner or later, with the way he carries on and Zuko thinks that someone should warn him that the path he's heading down leads to calamity of some sort.

But then he says that Jet should just let his hatred of the firenation go – and there is a veritable dam burst of anger from Jet about that. In some ways this is a reflection of the scene in the southern raiders, when Aang tells Katara to let it go without really understanding her experience. Anyway Zuko wont make the mistake of assuming things about people's prior experience with firebenders or telling anyone how they should feel about the firenation after this.

Zuko's really shocked about Jet's story, like Song's story and Katara's story later – it is something that definitely shifts the way he sees the firenation. Unarmed civilians being brutally hurt/murdered for no reason will not sit well with Zuko at all. He's been fed lies about how the glorious firenation is 'civilizing' all these brutish people since he was a child – but now he's seeing some of the real human suffering and it makes him uncomfortable. The more he finds out about the war, the less he likes what he knows.

Zuko would also feel a little twinge of father jealousy – even though he would know it was ridiculous. Jet's father is the polar opposite of Ozai. He loved his kid, and was very self sacrificing and was willing to do anything to help his kid/stop him from being hurt and was willing to die for his kid, in the end. I think that Jet's dad was a fine man and Jet aspires to be like him… in his own way. He idolized his dad and hasn't ever been able to deal with seeing his dad killed the way he was.

I also thought about Jet, about how intense and blind his anger and hatred is. About what drives him to do the things he does. I decided that his back story must be all kinds of tragic. He is an intelligent, articulate young man – who could have done a great many things, but instead he festers with his desire for revenge. He can't ever let it go, and he can't make a fresh start. He was older than Smellerbee and Longshot when the rough rhinos attacked their village. He remembers it clearly and was old enough to understand what was going on, but powerless to stop it.

He has fought the firenation and looked after Longshot and Smellerbee since then. These two things make Jet Jet. He finds his identity in taking care of kids and being the leader of the freedom fighters. But now everything's gone to hell in a handbasket, they're living in a refugee centre and Longshot and Smellerbee are doing okay without him. They are getting old enough to look after themselves. He only has fighting the firenation left. So he clings to this role and this task and hones in on Zuko and Iroh – because Jet needs an enemy to fight. That is part of the reason why he keeps stalking, even though everybody else thinks it is crazy and nobody understands.

So this chapter ends on a more serious note. Jet's backstory is unveiled and the Dai Li are all around. This was the first of two times that Jet gets arrested in Ba Sing Se. This time he got off lightly, but we all know what will happen the next time.

Til then my lovelies….