Never Judge a Book by its Cover
I don't own Digimon or Avatar: Last Airbender
Chapter Ten: Never Judge a Book by its Cover
Momo was running through the treetops as he chased after a bug that avoided him before Momo jumped onto the ground. As he did this he noticed a neat pile of lychee nuts nearby and he cooed and jumped at them only to screech as he was pulled into the air by a cage that was now hanging between two more caged animals. A few metres away was Daisuke, Flame, Sokka, Katara and Aang all lounging around the campfire.
"Where's Momo?" Aang asked the others looking around and the others all looked at him bored when they all heard a screech coming from Momo. "Momo!" Aang shouted as he ran off followed by everyone else and soon they were all looking up at the three cages. "I'll get ya down!" Aang shouted as he started to climb the tree by using his Airbending and soon he landed on a tall branch and found the mechanism for the trap and he started to lower the cage down to the ground. Sokka and Katara both grabbed the cage and opened it and Momo ran out with the lychee nuts in his arms and jumps onto Daisuke's shoulder while Flame rested on the opposite shoulder.
"What am I a taxi?" She asked them both as Flame snatched a lychee nut from Momo who chattered and Flame blew a raspberry at him and started to bite the nut with his teeth. "Now Flame, that was not nice," Daisuke scolded her dragon and Flame cooed at her. "Oh all right then," she relented as she saw Aang climb back up the tree very slowly.
"This is taking forever," Sokka groaned as he tossed his boomerang at the two cages and they fell to the ground and opened allowing the two hog-monkeys to flee.
"That works too," Aang said as he jumped down to the ground. A few minutes later Aang and Katara were packing up the camp onto Appa when Sokka called out.
"No, we're not flying today," He said.
"Why not?" Aang asked him as Sokka snatched a sleeping bag from him.
"Think about it airhead, the Fire Nation and Zuko always seem to find us somehow. It's because of Appa he is too noticeable," Sokka said.
"What? Appa's not too noticeable!" Katara snapped defending the bison.
"I agree with Sokka this time, Appa is a big woolly bison with a giant arrow on his head, kinda hard to miss him," Daisuke said condescendingly and pointing dramatically to him who yawned.
"They're just jealous because they don't have arrows," Aang said comfortingly.
"We are not, look flying is faster I agree, but my instincts say we should walk for a while," Sokka said.
"Who made you the boss?" Katara asked.
"I'm not the boss I am the leader," Sokka said.
"But your voice still cracks," Katara smirked.
"I'm the oldest, and I am a warrior," Sokka said as his voice cracked.
"Actually I think me and you are about the same age," Daisuke said to him.
"But you're a girl," Sokka said.
"And also more mature than you," Daisuke rebutted and Sokka frowned slightly.
"She's right," Aang said to him.
"Fine then, okay Daisuke since you're the leader, should we fly or go with Sokka's instincts?" Katara asked with a smirk and a teasing tone and Sokka frowned.
"I say we go with Sokka's idea, it might save us having to fight Zuko for a while," Daisuke said and Sokka smiled while Katara and Aang pouted and Appa roared. "Oh come on guys, walking is good exercise," Daisuke said to them.
"Why not, it should be fun," Aang said as he put on a backpack and everyone walked off through the forest. "This stinks! Who knew walking would be this boring," Aang groaned.
"I don't know Aang, why don't we ask Sokka's instincts?" Katara asked sarcastically.
"Ha ha, funny," Sokka said back frustrated.
"I'm getting tired of carrying this thing," Aang whined.
"Oh toughen up Aang, we've been walking like ten minutes," Daisuke said to him.
"What!? We've been walking for that long!?" He asked in shock.
"If you're getting tired of carrying that you should ask Sokka's instincts to carry it," Katara said mockingly.
"Good idea Katara, hey Sokka's instincts can you…" Aang was cut off when Daisuke glared at him and Katara.
"Knock it off you two!" She shouted at them both. "You two have done nothing but complain, Sokka is an idiot at times yes, but he has good ideas at times as well, and you two just moaning about walking is getting annoying, so shut up!" She finished with a small flame coming out of her mouth and Sokka smiled at her slightly while Katara and Aang frowned slightly.
"Thanks for that, now then let's get…moving…" Sokka trailed off as he went through the bushes and gulped as the others all joined him and they gulped as well as they saw dozens of Fire Nation soldiers staring at them in shock.
"Nuts," Daisuke whispered as the soldier's sprang into action. "Run!" She shouted but as they turned to run the bushes were set ablaze by a Firebender.
"We're cut off!" Sokka shouted as he stood in front of Daisuke, Katara, Aang, Momo and Flame who was cooing worriedly. "Back off!" Sokka shouted at the soldiers. Suddenly one of them was knocked out and everyone was shocked.
"That's new," Aang admitted.
"Hey up there!" Katara shouted as everyone looked to see a boy wearing red and blue and wielding two swords that were curved jump down from the trees and take down two soldiers.
"There in the trees!" A soldier shouted before a short kid dropped down and turned his helmet around blinding him. Aang and Katara ran off to join the fighting leaving Sokka and Daisuke alone as a soldier came towards them both but the boy with the swords took him out.
"Hey, that was mine," Sokka said.
"Gotta be quicker," The boy said as he winked and Daisuke who frowned and gagged. Another boy appeared and started to fire arrows at the soldiers while a large boy jumped into the clearing and took two soldiers out with one arm while the boy with the swords skilfully took out the last soldier standing.
"Whoa! You just took out a whole army of Fire Nation soldiers in by yourselves," Aang said in awe.
"Army? That was only like twenty guys," Daisuke said in shock.
"My names Jet, and these are my freedom fighters," The boy with the hook-swords now known as Jet said to Aang and Katara. "Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak," Jet said as Aang laughed and walked over to the shortest of the bunch.
"Pipsqueak, that's funny," He said as the small kid looked up and the large boy behind him and Aang gulped slightly as he did as well.
"You think my name is funny!?" He roared as Daisuke facepalmed.
"It's hilarious!" Aang smiled at Pipsqueak who was still frowning before he then suddenly started laughing as did Aang and the small kid who was the Duke. Later the boys were raiding the camp while Katara walked up to Jet.
"Thanks for saving us," She said with a slight blush.
"I should be thanking you, we were waiting all morning to ambush those guys, we just needed a distraction," Jet explained.
"We were relying on 'instincts'" Katara said using air quotes and Sokka and Daisuke frowned at her.
"And I thought you were bad," Daisuke whispered.
"You'll be killed doing that," Jet said as Katara poked her tongue out at Sokka.
"Hey Jet, we found a few barrels of Blasting Jelly," The Duke called out to him.
"Nice," Jet praised him while Daisuke looked at Sokka and mouthed blasting jelly.
"Explosives, powerful stuff," He whispered.
"And we found some jelly candy," Pipsqueak said.
"Also nice, don't get those mixed up," Jet said.
"We'll take these back to the hideout," The Duke said.
"You guys have a hideout?" Aang asked in awe.
"Would you like to see?" Jet asked.
"Yes we would!" Katara exclaimed happily.
"We?" Daisuke asked in shock but she was ignored as everyone walked off apart from Daisuke and Sokka who both sighed in disbelief. A few minutes later everyone followed Jet and his Freedom Fighters to a small clearing.
"Here we are," Jet said.
"What? Are you on something, there isn't anything here," Daisuke said and Sokka nodded his head in agreement with her. Jet smirked as he pulled down a rope.
"Hold this," He told her.
"Why?" She asked as she took hold of the rope and then she suddenly went flying up into the trees and Flame hung onto his mother's shoulders for dear life.
"Dai!" Sokka shouted as he grabbed a rope and was pulled up as well after Daisuke.
"Aang?" Jet asked offering a rope to him.
"Nah, I'm good," The Airbender said as he leapt up the trees through the use of Airbending.
"Hold on tight Katara," Jet said as he wrapped his arm around Katara who blushed slightly as Jet was pulled through the trees with Katara holding onto him. They both then came onto a wooden platform and Aang was seen zip lining through the trees.
"Wow, it's beautiful up here," Katara said in awe.
"It is, and what is more beautiful is that the Fire Nation can't find us up here," Jet told her as Smellerbee landed beside the two of them.
"The Fire Nation would love to find you huh Jet," Smellerbee said to him.
"It's not happening Smellerbee," Jet said.
"Why would the Fire Nation want to find you?" Aang asked as he dropped down beside Jet and Katara.
"Well you could say I have been causing trouble for them, a few years ago they captured a small Earth Kingdom village not far from here," Jet explained.
"We've been cutting their supply lines, ambushing their troops and doing what we can to mess with them," Pipsqueak said.
"One day we'll drive them from here," Jet said.
"Oh that is so brave!" Katara said.
"What is so brave about a guy that hides in a tree?" Daisuke asked.
"Ignore here," Katara said to Jet and Daisuke growled under her breath.
"Don't worry, she and your brother have had a rough day," Jet said.
"So do you all live here?" Katara asked Jet.
"That's right, Longshot over there," Jet said pointing to Longshot who didn't say anything. "His town got burned down by the Fire Nation, and the Duke we found trying to steal our food," Jet said pointing to the two of them.
"What about you?" Katara asked him.
"When I was eight, the Nair Nation burnt down my home, they killed my parents," Jet said.
"Sokka and I lost our mother," Katara told him sadly.
"I'm sorry Katara," Jet told her as they both walked off. Later at night everyone was gathered around a large table and Jet stood on top of it.
"Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine." The group all cheered loudly while Aang and Katara smiled while Sokka and Daisuke frowned at him, "I got a special joy from the look on one soldier's face, when The Duke dropped down on his helmet and rode him like a wild hog monkey." Jet said as The Duke without his helmet walked around the table. "Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right." Jet said as the Freedom Fighters booed. Or maybe ... they're dead wrong!" Jet shouted and a massive roar of applause was heard. Later after dinner Katara and Aang were talking to Jet.
"Nice speech Jet," Katara said to him.
"Thanks, anyway I wanted to say that you and Aang fought really well today," Jet complimented them both.
"Well, Aang is the Avatar, I still need more practice," Katara admitted.
"The Avatar huh?" Jet asked looking at Aang who smiled. "Nice," He said.
"Thanks," Aang replied.
"You know, I have an idea on how you two can help us out," Jet said.
"Sorry, but we're leaving in the morning," Sokka said to him.
"Yeah sorry," Daisuke said.
"But Sokka, Daisuke, you're kidding me!" Jet shouted at them both as Aang and Katara looked at the two of them. "I needed you for a mission tomorrow," Jet said.
"What mission?" Daisuke asked him tensely. The next morning Jet and Sokka were in a branch together while Daisuke was on a branch beneath them with Flame on her shoulder and holding on tightly. Jet then made a birdcall and Pipsqueak and Smellerbee from several trees down came into view and made their own birdcall back to him. Sokka then took out a knife that was made out of a jawbone and he stabbed it into the tree.
"What are you doing?" Jet asked.
"Shh! It's amplifies vibrations," Sokka whispered to him.
"Good trick," Jet said impressed while Daisuke still frowned at him from beneath.
"Someone is coming," Sokka whispered.
"How many?" Jet whispered back.
"Just one I think," Sokka said and Jet made a birdcall.
"Nice work Sokka, Daisuke ready yourself," Jet said and Daisuke frowned but still nodded before Flame made several squeaks and Daisuke looked at him before looking down and her eyes went wide in shock.
"Wait! It's just an old man!" Daisuke hissed but Jet still jumped off the tree to the old man and Sokka and Daisuke watched in horror.
"What're you doing in the woods you leech!?" Jet roared at the old man.
"Please sir, I am just a traveller," the old man said to him but Jet used his Hook-sword to swipe the old man's cane away making the old man stumble back but he bumped into Pipsqueak and the force of the impact made him fall to the ground and Pipsqueak stood on his backside preventing him from running.
"Do you like destroying towns?! Do you like destroying families!?" Jet shouted at the old man.
"Please…let me go…show mercy," He said in fear.
"Does the Fire Nation show mercy!?" Jet shouted as he went to stomp on the old man but Daisuke grabbed him and pulled him back and stood in front of the old man.
"Jet! He's just an old man!" She shouted at him.
"He's Fire Nation! Search him!" Jet ordered and Pipsqueak picked the old man and Smellerbee searched him.
"But he isn't hurting anyone!" Sokka shouted walking up to Jet and standing beside Daisuke.
"Have you forgotten that the Fire Nation killed your mother Sokka?" Jet asked him.
"We've got his stuff Jet," Smellerbee said to Jet.
"This isn't right, you're stealing from a defenceless old man," Daisuke said.
"It had to be done," Jet said as he walked off followed by Pipsqueak and Smellerbee.
"No it didn't," Daisuke whispered as she helped the old man to his feet. "Are you alright, you're not hurt are you?" She asked him.
"I'll be fine child, thank you for helping me," He said.
"We're sorry for that guy," Sokka said handing the man his cane. "Do you need help heading to where you are going?" He asked him.
"Thank you children, you have good hearts," The old man said as Daisuke and Sokka helped the old man to his destination which just happened to be the village that was down river of the Freedom Fighter's hideout beside the river. "Here we are," The old man said to Daisuke and Sokka who nodded their heads at him as they led him into the village. "Thank you again children, both for saving my life and for helping me home," The old man said to them both.
"It was no problem, happy to help," Daisuke smiled at the man. "My names Daisuke by the way, and this is Sokka," She said pointing at Sokka.
"Thank you Daisuke and Sokka, I owe you my life," The old man smiled at them both and the two of them smiled as Flame cooed gently. And with that both Sokka and Daisuke went back to the hideout angry at Jet.
"That monster, how could he attack a harmless old man, I'd like to see him lie his way outta this to Aang and Katara, and I bet you they'll believe him over us," Daisuke growled angrily.
"I agree with you, I don't like how Jet is acting, he says he fights for freedom but he is just as bad as the Fire Nation, what lengths will he go to?" Sokka asked in concern.
"I don't know, but if he wants us to help him he will get burned," Daisuke said as she looked around and she created a flame in her hand. "Literally," She said before snuffing the fire out. The two of them returned to the hideout and headed towards Jet's tent where they saw Katara and Aang talking to Jet. "You monster! You cold and evil human being!" Daisuke roared at Jet confusing Aang and Katara.
"What's wrong, what happened?" Aang asked them.
"Oh shut up! This guy just attacked a harmless old man!" Daisuke shouted at him.
"He was Fire Nation," Katara said.
"Oh yeah, just cause he is Fire Nation automatically makes him evil!" Sokka shouted at his sister.
"He wasn't harmless at all, he was an assassin sent here to kill me, look he even had a poison knife," Jet said pulling out a knife and pulling out a small vile of poison from the grip.
"Oh please," Daisuke scoffed earing glares from Katara and Jet. "How can an old man who can't even walk on his own be an assassin sent after you, a boy who took out a fire nation platoon? When you come up with a more convincing lie tell me," She said.
"Daisuke, that's too far," Katara said walking towards her but Daisuke slapped her and hard.
"You're just as bad! You are so head over heels for him you fail to see his true self, when the Katara I know is back tell me, and Aang you're the damn Avatar! You're supposed to be neutral and yet here you are defending Jet and taking a side, when the true Avatar is back, tell me as well, me and Sokka are done, we're gonna pack and then leave," Daisuke said before she walked off followed by Sokka leaving Aang, Katara and Jet alone. Later that night Daisuke was sitting against Appa with Flame cooing at her as Sokka walked up to her and she looked at him.
"Dai, you okay?" Sokka asked her.
"No! Jet is going too far, and I don't care what Katara and Aang say I will stop him," She said and Flame cooed at her and she patted him. "Don't worry, buddy, I'll be fine," She said and Flame nodded his head as Daisuke set him down onto Appa's saddle. Both Daisuke and Sokka saw Jet and several of his Freedom fighters swing down on ropes and Sokka nodded at Daisuke who nodded back and they both set off after them. They then saw Jet leading a wagon full of the barrels of blasting jelly out of the camp. Daisuke and Sokka stealthily followed them and soon they stooped overlooking the dam in the valley.
"You know the plan right, don't blow the dam until I give the signal, if the reservoir isn't full the soldiers might survive," Jet told Longshot who nodded his head and Sokka and Daisuke frowned before they heard rustling and Pipsqueak appeared and grabbed them both by their ponytails.
"What are you two doing here?" Smellerbee sneered holding a knife to Daisuke's throat who frowned and spat at Smellerbee.
"Sokka, Daisuke, so glad you could join us," Jet said.
"We heard your plan to destroy the Earth kingdom town," Daisuke said.
"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation," Jet said.
"There are people in that village apart from Fire Nation, mothers, fathers, children, the old man you attacked," Daisuke growled.
"We can't win without sacrifices," Jet said.
"You're nothing but a thug, you'll do anything to get what you want," Sokka said to him.
"I was hoping you two would have an open mind, I can't let you warn Aang and Katara I need them, take them for a long walk," Jet said to Pipsqueak and Smellerbee who nodded and pushed the two of them away and through the forest. The sun soon started to rise above the trees and Daisuke and Sokka frowned.
"We gotta get to the town and fast," Daisuke whispered.
"And how do we do that?" Sokka asked.
"Quiet!" Pipsqueak said to them both but Daisuke did a backflip over him and kicked him in the back of the head making him stumble and Sokka rolled under him and tripped him Smellerbee then ran at Sokka but a snap was heard and Smellerbee looked down to see a trap there and was pulled into the air and Pipsqueak suffered the same fate.
"Easy, now we gotta warn the town!" Daisuke shouted as she heard a roar and they turned to see Appa land with Flame on his head with Momo. "Flame, good boy mama is proud of you," Daisuke said to her dragon who licked her.
"Save it for later, Yip Yip!" Sokka shouted and Appa roared as he flew into the sky and towards the town and both Daisuke and Sokka saw the reservoir filling up.
"He must have convinced Aang and Katara to help fill the reservoir," Daisuke growled as Appa flew towards the town and landed outside of it. Sokka and Daisuke ran into the town. "Everyone listen up! You're all in danger!" Daisuke shouted and everyone in the town looked at her and Sokka.
"The dam is gonna burst in a matter of moments, if you don't get outta here you'll all be killed!" Sokka shouted.
"How do we know you are not spies?" A villager asked as several more shouted at them.
"You have to believe us!" Daisuke pleaded with them as the villagers surrounded them and two guards walked towards them but a voice called out.
"Wait!" Everyone stopped and looked to see the old man walk towards Sokka and Daisuke. "Believe these children, they saved me from harm once, and I said I owed them, now please I beg you all to listen to them, the village is in danger, we must leave," The old man said to the villagers who all looked at him and nodded their heads at him before they all started to leave the village and head to higher ground. As they did the old man looked at Daisuke and Sokka. "Thank you Sokka and Daisuke, once again you save my life," The old man said just as a massive explosion was heard and everyone saw a massive tidal wave head towards the village they had left behind and it was flooded instantly.
"Made it, just in time," Sokka said and Daisuke smiled in relief.
"Thank you for saving us," A little girl told them both.
"No problem, anytime," Daisuke smiled at her and rubbed her head softy. Sokka and her then climbed back onto Appa who had followed them and Sokka cracked the reins and Appa flew off away from the villages and landed close to where Katara, Aang and Jet were heard talking.
"This valley is safe,' Jet said as Appa appeared.
"It will be safe, without you that is!" Sokka shouted at Jet.
"Dai, Sokka!" Aang exclaimed.
"We were able to warn the villagers, just in time," Daisuke said.
"What!?" Jet shouted at them both.
"At first they didn't believe us, they thought we were spies, but one man stopped them that old man you attacked Jet he managed to convince everyone to leave the village just before the dam blew," Daisuke said to him.
"You fools, we could have freed this valley from the Fire Nation!" Jet shouted.
"Who'd be free, everyone would have been killed by your plan," Daisuke said jumping off Appa and walking towards him. "It's true the Fire Nation does need to change but your way isn't the way to do it. And to make sure you do hurt the innocent I'll be taking your swords." And with that said Daisuke picked up Jet's Hook-swords and his sheath for them both and she strapped it to her back and put the swords into it. "And word of warning, if you push people they push back!" Daisuke shouted at him before turning away.
"Traitor!" Jet shouted.
"No Jet, you became the traitor when you forgot who you were protecting," Daisuke said before she turned to face him again and she launched a fire blast at his throat and left a burn there and he gasped in fear as he looked at Daisuke. "This is what happens when you go too far, and if I see you again, it'll be much worse," She said before she climbed onto Appa as did Katara and Aang and Appa then took off and flew away.
"We thought you went to the dam, why'd you go to the town?" Aang asked them both.
"Instincts, sometimes they are right," Daisuke said.
"You know we're going the wrong way right?" Aang asked her and Sokka who gulped.
"But sometimes…" Daisuke started.
"They can be wrong," Sokka finished as he turned Appa around and flew in the opposite direction.
The end of the chapter
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