.: Chapter 8 :.
"Ready to go, Jet?" Katara's voice called through the tent flap. I jerked out of my doze and sat up, rubbing my eyes. The tent flap pushed back beneath my hand and I walked up to stand next to her.
"Always ready." She smiled up at me, and then Aang zoomed up by her side.
"Where are we going, Jet?" he asked eagerly.
"We're talking a walk," I told them casually. Aang removed Momo from his shoulder and leapt down through the trees. I took Katara's hand and then grabbed a rope. I had no doubts that she could do it on her own, but it made her happy to go down this way. I couldn't say that I minded it, either. She smelled like flowers… Focus.
We touched down gently and I released her. Aang was already waiting, bouncing off the trees with excitement.
"Is anyone else coming?" Katara asked.
"No, just us. I really need your help," I added with a grin. I led the way and they trailed behind me, our footsteps crunching on the leaves.
"So where's Smellerbee and Pipsqueak?" Aang asked. "I haven't seen them at all this morning, and I wanted to ask Smellerbee how she does this thing with her daggers…"
"They're… out." I led them out of the foliage and onto the banks of the river. Aang fell behind a few steps to look for rocks and Katara caught up with me.
"Jet," she sighed, "I'm sorry about how Sokka's been acting."
"No worries," I reassured her. "He already apologized."
"Really?" Aang called from behind us. Katara stopped walking and shared a long look with Aang. "Sokka apologized?" Apparently not something he does too often…
"Yeah," I answered nonchalantly. "I was surprised too. I got the sense that maybe you talked to him or something," I added, directing the phrase at Katara.
"Yeah, I did," she admitted faintly.
"I guess something you said got through to him. Anyway, he went out on a scouting mission with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee." Too late, I realized that I'd already said Pipsqueak and Smellerbee were 'out.' Easy, Jet. They believe everything I say. They won't question it.
"I'm glad he cooled off," Katara sighed. I released a breath I hadn't known that I was holding. "He's so stubborn sometimes." Behind us I heard Aang stop moving, and then a giant whoosh of air. I turned around and watched as Aang floated gently back to the ground.
"All right, we're here," I announced. "Underground water's trying to escape through these vents. I need you guys to help it along." Katara looked down at her feet, her face a mask of uncertainty.
"I've never used bending on water I can't see. I don't know…" she muttered. I walked over to stand behind her and put two hands on her shoulders.
"Katara," I smiled, "you can do this."
"What about me?" Aang asked.
I smiled at him, too. "I know the Avatar can do this."
They nodded in unison and took up positions at opposite ends of the geyser. The pair moved their arms up and down, up and down, up and down in a rhythmic motion until the water came up. They still didn't stop, drawing it up higher and higher until… they stepped towards the river and moved the water with their arms. It arced into the air and flowed into the river. That's what we need here—a pair of strong benders.
"Yes!" I cheered. "Good job! This river empties into the reservoir—a few more geysers and it'll be full." And the Fire Nation won't stand a chance.
"Look!" Aang called. "There's another steam vent." They walked towards it and I turned away.
"Okay," I shouted. "You two keep it up—I'll go check on things at the reservoir." I started walking away, but froze at what Katara said next.
"When we're done we'll meet you over there."
"Actually…" I replied. "Probably better if you meet me back at the hideout when you're done." I continued walking away, listening as they got another geyser to spill into the river. I thought about heading straight to the reservoir, but my feet carried me to the hills. I moved on, lost in thought.
After all this time, we're so close. I'm so close. We can wipe out the Fire Nation with one fell swoop. I can get rid of that ridiculous doll. And if Rina… if Rina survives, she'll be different. Without that doll, without the Fire Nation, she'll be different. She can come help me, and talk to the kids, and do things that I could never do. She'll be different.
"Jet?" an incredulous voice called. It made me stiffen, and the voice called to me again. "Jet, what are you doing here?"
"Nothing, Rina," I answered gruffly. "Go home."
"I thought you didn't walk in the daytime," she muttered.
"I don't."
"But you are right now—"
"Go home, Rina."
"Jet, why didn't you come to see me yesterday? You got me in trouble for no reason. Sergeant Kuzon said he'd take Mrs. Pretty away—"
"Sergeant Kuzon," I snapped, "has the right idea. Who the heck is Sergeant Kuzon anyway?"
"He's my friend. He just transferred into our town from the Fire Nation."
"You're friends with a Fire Nation Soldier?" I still couldn't bring myself to face her.
"Yes. They're nicer than you'd think. At least Kuzon is. He has a son, you know. A little boy named Onzu. He lives next door to me. Hey Jet, can Onzu come meet you?"
"No."
"Why not?" She was whining now. I squeezed my eyes shut, but I couldn't help it. She sounded just like the old man in the woods. She sounded like a Fire Nation civilian. But I could change her—I could bring her back. "Jet, he's my friend! He would never—"
"No, he can't come. And you can't come either."
"Why?" she gasped.
"Because I hate you," I breathed quietly, the lie burning in my throat. "You don't understand everything, but you think you do. You think that you can just make friends with the Fire Nation? Let me tell you something—they're all evil. But you listen to them and follow their rules and hold onto their dolls, when all they're doing is bribing you for obedience! You don't even TRY to change anything!"
"You… hate me?"
"Yes, I do," I finished. "Now go away. I don't want to see your Fire Nation worshipping face or that horrible doll ever again. Go play with Onzu and Kuzon. Apparently they're nicer than I am." I turned and walked away, but I couldn't shut my ears to her wails. They followed me as I twisted and turned through the woods, haunting my every step.
She's Fire Nation right now, just like the rest of them. They'll all be crying soon.
I came out on the edge of the cliff again, where Longshot and The Duke were waiting for me.
"Is everything down there?" I asked.
"Sure thing, Jet," The Duke answered.
"Then go help everyone set up, The Duke," I commanded. He nodded and disappeared into the forest. "Longshot, are you ready?" He nodded and indicated one arrow in his quiver. It was all I needed to see. "Then get set up." I looked down at the Freedom Fighters who were clambering all over the wagon, getting it ready. "It'll be ready soon. Where's Smellerbee and Pipsqueak?"
Longshot shrugged, but his eyes glistened with worry. "I don't know."
"They'll be fine, Longshot," I reassured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked at me for a long moment, eyes unreadable, and then walked into the forest. I climbed a nearby tree and settled into the nook, observing the blasting jelly as it got set up. Four of my Freedom Fighters were arranging the barrels—I couldn't pick out The Duke, but he was small enough to have been any of them.
Where are Smells and Pipsqueak? I wondered to myself. They should be back by now—Sokka couldn't have caused them this much trouble. My mind wandered away from my missing comrades, focusing on the dam again. I'm so close to fixing everything. And what can't be fixed will be removed.
"You did a great job today, Aang."
I sat straight up in my tree, alarm coursing through me. What is SHE doing here?
"Thanks, Katara," Aang returned.
I thought I told them to meet me at the tree house.
"You're going to be a great Waterbender one day," she finished, coming out of the nearby woods. I watched in horror as they froze at the top of the cliff, a few feet away from me. Katara was studying the activity at the dam, her eyes squinting in concentration. Finally, she looked to Aang in confusion.
"What are they doing?" she asked.
"Hey, those are the red barrels he got from the Fire Nation," Aang announced.
"Why would they need blasting jelly?" Katara wondered. He gasped suddenly, his eyes widening with comprehension.
"Because Jet's going to blow up the dam."
"What? No!" Katara protested, shaking her head in alarm. "That would destroy the town. Jet wouldn't do that!"
They're Fire Nation, I growled to myself. I waited, hoping they would understand. Hoping she would understand. But Aang pulled out his staff and wings sprouted at either end of it.
"I've got to stop him," he announced, and started running for the edge of the cliff. I stood up in my tree and withdrew my hook swords. Time for some damage control. In the recesses of my mind as I soared through the air, I heard Katara whisper, "Jet wouldn't do that."
I flew straight behind Aang and took the glider with one sword. He was leaning right over the edge and I saw him use Airbending to regain his balance before I hit the ground.
"Yes, I would," I announced. I could feel Katara's eyes blazing into my back.
"Jet," she gasped, "why?"
The hurt sound of her voice stung more than anything else. She needs to understand. If she understands, she'll help me.
"Katara, you would too if you just stopped to think. Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother. We can't let them to that to anyone else, ever again." I turned to face her, but her entire face was closed to me now.
"This isn't the answer!" she protested.
"I want you to understand me, Katara," I pleaded. She bit her lip, and I could see she didn't want it to be true. "I thought your brother would understand, but—"
"Where's Sokka?" Katara demanded. She wouldn't even look at me as the tears fell from her eyes. I reached out a hand and touched her cheek. If she just looks at me, I know she'll understand.
"Katara," I whispered. She bowed her head for a moment.
Look at me.
She finally did, and with a loud shout something slammed into my stomach. I couldn't breathe as I flew through the air. Aang's glider was ripped from my hand and landed on the ground several feet away. I landed on the ground, too, hard. My back was on fire, but I scrambled to my feet.
"I need to get to the dam." Even in my shock, I heard what Aang said. Everything slowed down. Aang was dashing for his glider, and I was too far away to stop him. Then I looked at my hook swords and I remembered something from a time long past. A man swirling these same swords through the air, faster and faster until one was only a shimmer in the sun. I smiled and linked my two swords together by the hooks.
I lashed out towards the glider and pinned it just as Aang stretched out to grab it. The swords responded to my tug, yanking the glider back towards me. It soared neatly into my hand and I put it behind my back.
"You're not going anywhere without your glider," I informed him fiercely, swinging the swords at him. They twirled and spun, never making contact with his body. I didn't ever want to hurt him, just get him to back off, which he did, soaring into a nearby tree. I saw him do it and realized that I couldn't let him get away. He could just take the glider from the trees.
If I just knock him out for a few minutes, I can do everything.
"I'm not going to fight you, Jet," Aang shouted.
"You'll have to if you want your glider back," I hollered hoarsely, hooking myself up into the trees. I saw the flashes of orange directly ahead of me, and Katara's blue kimono trailing us below. I ran faster, catching up with Aang. I didn't give him a chance to react, leaping at him with my hook swords. He wound his hands around each other and I ducked, feeling the balls of air sail neatly over my head. I rushed him again, but Aang's wrists crossed over his head and he sent me flying backwards with air again. My body slammed into a tree trunk. My ears were ringing and my vision was pounding but I leapt to my feet.
I tried linking my hook swords again but he just dodged and attacked with air again. I ducked into a deep lunge, the air whistling through my hair.
Just have to get close enough to… He leapt down a tree branch and I followed him, swinging and leaping. This was MY neck of the woods. There was no way he could win. I landed with a thud on the same branch as him and charged at him again, but he just circled away. Suddenly I felt like my years of fighting and training were completely worthless. He was just too fast.
No, I snapped to myself. You have a job to do. Finish it. In the split second of my thoughts, I missed Aang's motion again. A huge gust of air breezed past me. I fought it for a moment before I lost all control and blew backwards. I felt the glider fall from my back. Aang soared through the air, struggling to reach it before it hit the ground. I leapt down after him, speeding faster and faster until my foot connected with his side. He slammed into a tree trunk and slid the rest of the way to the ground, landing next to his glider. It looked a little worse for the wear at the moment.
I ignored the sound of gentle water behind me. We were standing at a tributary that flew into the larger river, and to my left was a clear view of the dam. Finish Aang, then get to the dam. He was still moving, and I moved in for the final blow.
Something slammed into my stomach. I shifted my focus from Aang to the area around me, registering that my stomach was soaking wet. Then I saw her—Katara glaring at me with fury, spinning water around between her hands and letting it fly. It slammed into my stomach again and again and again, each time forcing me backwards. I tried to block it with my hook swords but it was no use, and before I knew how far I'd come, my back was up against a tree. Katara put her hands right beside her mouth and blew gently. I heard a cracking sound that reminded me of the winter, when the ice broke on the river. This time, however, the ice crept towards me, every drop of water freezing solid. I felt the water in my clothes harden, sealing me against the tree. Encasing me in ice.
I struggled to pull away, my head still free of the icy prison for the moment. When I realized it was useless, I looked back at the dam. I could still see it. Noises carry in the woods. They'll hear me.
"Why, Jet?" Katara whispered, her voice filled with pain. "I can't believe I trusted you. You lied to me—you're sick and I trusted you!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aang twitch.
I can explain to her again later. Come on, guys, where are you?
Then I heard it. The signal to let me know everything was all set. It was two short bird sounds. The two benders looked back out towards the dam, where it was coming from. I gave my order, ten short bird sounds. Four low, one high. Four high, one low.
"What are you doing?" Katara demanded. She looked at me, her eyes wide.
"You're too late," I announced proudly.
"No!" she gasped. Her face was horrorstruck. Aang opened his glider and took off running, but even I could see that it was full of holes. Inevitably, he crashed to the ground. Katara ignored me and ran over to him.
"Sokka's still out there—he's our only chance," Aang moaned.
"Come on, Sokka," Katara pleaded to her invisible—and probably missing—brother. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Please." I looked out to the dam, waiting for Longshot to pull through for me.
Come on, Longshot. This valley needs you right now.
Then I saw it—the lighted arrow flying impossibly high into the air. It soared neatly to the abandoned set up at the base of the dam.
"No," Katara whispered.
The dam went up in a glorious explosion, smoke and fire consuming its very core. I stared as the center of my life's work for the past two months gushed out in an enormous wave. It swept towards the town, towards the Fire Nation and the traitors to the Earth Kingdom. The wave devoured the town greedily, swallowing houses and barrels and carts of cabbages. Then it was over. The valley was free.
"Sokka didn't make it in time," Aang mumbled.
"All those people," Katara gasped. She turned back to me, her face furious. "Jet, you monster!" She sounded like she was about to cry.
I had to make her understand.
"This was a victory, Katara. Remember that. The Fire Nation is gone and this valley will be safe."
Rina will be safe.
"It will be safe—without you."
I jerked my head up, horrified. YOU? Smellerbee and Pipsqueak were supposed to get you out of my way! I could only stare, helpless, as Sokka, Momo, and Appa appeared at the edge of the cliff. The doofus was driving the bison while the monkey watched.
"Sokka!" Katara cried with joy.
"I warned the villagers of your plan, just in time," Sokka announced.
"What?" I cried. This can't be happening. Everything I've worked for!
"At first they didn't believe me," he went on. He sounded very full of himself. "The Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy. But one man vouched for me—the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust me, and we got everyone out in time."
The old man betrayed me. I let him live, when I could of… when I could have destroyed him. I let Sokka live, and he turned on me, too. Is there anyone I can trust anymore?
"Sokka, you fool!" I spat. "We could've freed this valley!"
We could have freed Rina.
"Who would be free?" he demanded. "Everyone would be dead."
Rina would have made it. Without her doll—she would have made it.
"You traitor!" I shouted, struggling to break through the ice.
"No, Jet," Sokka contradicted me quietly. "You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people." Katara and Aang turned away from me.
They can't leave me here! "Katara," I begged. "Please—help me."
She froze for a moment. "Goodbye, Jet." Aang helped her onto Appa's back, and she wouldn't even look at me anymore. Sokka looked down his nose at me one last time before turning away.
"Yip yip," he sniffed, and then they were gone. I stared forlornly after them.
They'll come back. They'll understand. They can't just leave me here.
But they did. They weren't like my Freedom Fighters. They left and never looked back. The sun set on me and I waited. I couldn't go back to the tree house yet. Not in defeat. I never lost. And knowing the Fire Nation was still alive, after I'd promised everyone they'd be gone… I didn't know how to handle it. So I waited.
A/N: Boom. Countdown, over. See you on the other side!
Thanks for reviewing, Jackie! :)
