oh my god that took freaking forever to update this chapter! Y.Y I'm so sorry, I hope this chapter will make up for it. I'm attempting to get more on task with my fanfictions...
a thanks to all my readers! ^_^'
Writerswand
Opposites Attract
Chapter 9
Episodes*
*The Waterbending Scroll
*Jet
*Katara*
I sit, bored, on the ship's railing as I watch Zuko practice Firebending. Both Zuko and Uncle Iroh always tell me not to sit on this and that I'll fall, I reply that I'm a Waterbender and they drop it.
Suddenly the ship takes a sharp right turn. Zuko slams sideways into the ship wall and I fall off.
I scream on surprise more than anything.
Zuko runs over, planning to drop an anchor-or that's at least how it looked- but saw me rising myself with water.
I drop next to him, bending the water off of me and off the ship, annoyed.
"I told you-"he begins.
"Am I hurt? No!" I snap. Stupid karma, I think as Zuko sighs. "Why did we turn?" I ask after I was dry, changing the subject.
"Somebody has changed course," Zuko says before we rush inside the ship.
We quickly find Iroh.
"Uncle! What do you think you're doing!" Zuko asks.
"I lost a Lotus tile for my Pai Sho game, I have to go into town and find one," Iroh explains.
"Oh, that makes sense, you shouldn't go around pretending to be a master of a game if you don't even have all the pieces!" I exclaim.
"Yes! See Zuko, the girl understands—wait, pretends?" Iroh turns to me with an eyebrow raised.
Zuko grumbles to himself and walks away.
I giggle.
Iroh, Zuko, and I walk around this small port town looking for a Lotus tile. It's not going so well.
Zuko is getting annoyed and I'm getting bored. As we pass a ship I get distracted. I look over to the two and make sure they aren't paying attention before running onto the ship.
I look around and figure out this is a pirate ship, whatever. I walk around the ship, looking at the available merchandise.
As I'm walking around the ship I hear two familiar voices behind me.
I turn my back to them and pretend to be examining a shelf.
"Aang, we should really get back before we waste our last two coins on more junk!" Sokka cries.
"My Appa whistle is not junk!" Aang cries.
I am pretending to examine the shelf but I couldn't help but get distracted. Today is definitely not a good day for me.
I pull out a blue scroll and opened it. My eyes widen and I almost shriek. A Waterbending scroll! I had to get this! I run over to the tall man with a dark beard standing behind a counter.
"How much is this?" I ask rapidly.
The man laughs. "Too much for you,"
My eyes narrow. "Just tell me the price!"
"You don't have to be feisty,"
"Just tell me,"
"200 gold coins," the man says gruffly.
I swallow and reach into my pockets slowly, coming out empty, even though I knew I would. Oh how I wish Zuko was here now. I look behind my shoulder and see Sokka examining swords. Typical.
"Miss? Are you going to buy it or not?" the man asks.
"Um…" I trail.
Suddenly I feel a tap on my shoulder.
I jump and turn around, startled. Aang stands there looking up at me.
"I remember you! You trying to buy something you don't have the money for?" he asks.
I nod slowly.
Aang leans closer to me. ""You have to bargain with these kinds of people," he whispers.
The boy jumps in front of me and leans against the counter, whipping out a coin and holding it up with his fingers. "How about for one copper coin?" he asks in a funny accent.
The pirate burst out laughing and Aang's face brightens. The pirate stops laughing. "No,"
Aang's face falls but he quickly recollects himself. "How about TWO copper coins?" he asks, picking up his accent again and whipping out another coin.
"It was funny the first time, now it's just silly. I'm not selling for less than 200 gold coins," the pirate exclaims.
Aang sighs and turns to me, holding the scroll out to me, expecting me to put it back."I'm sorry," he says.
"It's fine…" I trail.
We split and I walk over to the shelf, pretending to put the scroll back.
After a little while I cautiously look around and walk out towards the exit. Sokka and Aang left a moment ago and I see them walking along the river.
I run up to them and throw my arms around their shoulders, the scroll in the folds of my dress.
I look behind my shoulder as I speak. "Hey guys! Mind if I stay with you two for a while?"
"Nope!" Aang says happily.
"Oui! It's those kids! Get them!" one pirate roars from the top deck of the ship.
"Come on!" I shout as we break into a run.
In the high speed chase, Aang airbends a vender's cart out of the way, causing cabbages to fly everywhere.
"My cabbages! This place is worse than Omashu!" the vender screams.
"Poor guy…" Aang trails.
"I think it's time to split!" I cry as I run in the opposite direction from the boys, knowing they would be fine.
I spot Zuko and Iroh walking towards the harbor. I run over to them.
"So, uncle, I think it's time-"Zuko begins, but Iroh seems to spot the pirate ship and races toward it.
Zuko sighs as I fell into pace next to him.
Zuko looks over at me. "Katara? Where have you been?"
I put on a clueless face of innocence. "What do you mean? I've been here all day!"
Zuko shrugs as he starts to walk up the ramp to the pirate ship. "You coming?"
"Um…You know, I think I'll rather stay outside," I say, scratching the back on my neck.
Later in the night I creep of the ship and swim to the other side of the river. I pull myself to land and bend the water off of me. I open the Waterbending scroll and pick out a move to practice.
Single water whip. I study the formation and put the scroll on my waistband. I hold my hands in front of me to bend a stream of water out of the river. And I begin to practice.
Frustrated, I slam my arms down, the water splashes up all around me.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump up and turn around, startled, splashing cold water on whoever it was.
I come to face with Zuko and my hand flies to my chest. "Oh, it's just you," I let out a relieved sigh.
"Were you expecting someone else?" Zuko asks, an eyebrow raised, the water quickly evaporating off of him.
"Of course not!"
"Then what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"
I look down, staring at my toes. "Practicing…" I trail, noticing the pirates from before standing a ways off behind Zuko. "What are they doing here?" I ask softly, happy the scroll is hidden.
"I teamed up with them to help me find the Avatar, well, and they want to get a Waterbending scroll he stole from them," Zuko explains.
"And you trust them?"
"Frankly, no, but they're pirates, when they want something, they will do almost anything to get it,"
I closed my eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of," I say faintly.
Since then I did my best to stay clear of the pirates. Shortly after our conservation ended the pirates ran off to find the Avatar. They soon captured them and brought them back, all tied up.
Aang looks around worriedly and Sokka's brow is scrunched together, he must be thinking hard.
Aang sees me and catches my eye. He grins as if to tell me everything will be okay and they would get out of this in no time at all.
I look back at Sokka and see his eyes widen.
I smile, he's gotten an idea.
"Why are you guys helping that spoiled rotten prince? What is he paying you?" Sokka asks the pirates.
"He promised that he would help us get back the Waterbending scroll you stole from us," one pirate points out.
Sokka's eyes flicker over to me for a moment before returning to the pirates. "And you trust him? We got no Waterbending scroll, and you think a Firebender does either?" Sokka questions the pirates.
The same pirate opens his mouth to speak but closes it, confused. They hadn't stolen the scroll had they? It was that brunette.
Freakishly, all of the pirates' eyes turned toward me. Uh Oh.
"The Prince's girl stole it! He's playing us!" another pirate screams.
I put my empty hands up. "Whatever do you mean? Whatever would I need a Waterbending scroll for? I'm Fire Nation!" I cry, lying through my teeth.
Sadly, the scroll falls from my dress to the ground below. Stupid Karma!
"Curses," I mutter.
The pirates scowl and Zuko turns to me, a mixture of confusion and anger on his face.
I smile meekly. "Sorry?"
Zuko snarls and turns toward the raging pirates. "I had no say in this!" Zuko shouts. "Listen to me! It's the Avatar! Get him!"
The pirate captain walks toward Zuko. "I don't think you should be ordering us around anymore little prince," he grins.
A fight breaks out with Aang and Sokka in the middle of it all.
I watch them scramble to free themselves. Momo sweeps in and snatches the Waterbending Scroll, the Captain's reptile bird hot on her tail.
Suddenly a dust cloud erupts, most likely a cover Aang created. There is a lot of shouting and I can't make sense of it.
The dust cloud disappears for a moment and I see Aang surrounded by weapons all pointed at him, held by pirates and Fire nation soldiers.
Aang brings the cover down again and the chaos continues.
When I finally see Aang and Sokka emerge out of the dust cloud I beckon them over, to where I stand by the ships.
"You need to get out of here!" I whisper loudly. "Aang, help me waterbend the ship into the water,"
"I can't waterbend!" Aang cries.
"Just try, you're the Avatar for crying out loud, it can't be too hard,"
Aang reluctantly helps me and we slowly waterbend the ships into the water. We jump into the pirate ship and begin speeding down the river.
I look behind my shoulder and see that the pirates have taken control of Zuko's ship and are chasing us down the river, gaining on us. They are practically on our tail, figuratively of course, not literally like in Momo's case.
Speaking of Momo, she had dropped the scroll into my hands.
"Thanks Mo!" I say, scratching behind her big ear.
I look off the side of the ship and see Zuko and Iroh running after the ships. I stifle a laugh.
Sokka shrieks and I look to see us heading straight for a waterfall!
Aang and I run to the front of the ship and I frantically teach him to push and pull the water.
We slowly and steadily save the boat, stopping it right before the waterfall.
Alas, Zuko's ship, controlled by the pirates, slams into us, destroying their ship.
We are forced to jump off, over the falls.
In desperation, Aang blows a soundless whistle.
Sokka groans but miraculously Appa swoops down from the clouds and saves us.
I sigh, relieved, and drop the scroll. I give my regards and jump off Appa, bending water from the river to me to carry me to the riverbank. It was challenging, all that control, but determination helps though, well, and some adrenaline, which is why I gave Aang the Waterbending scroll. He needs it more than I. I've taught myself for nearly my whole life, I can do it now and later too, besides, Aang is the Avatar, he needs to learn Waterbending way before me.
Zuko and Iroh skid to a stop on a cliff, adjacent the falls.
Zuko scowls as he watches the Avatar get away once again.
Uncle Iroh whips a Lotus tile out of his sleeve. "I know this nay be frustrating but it was in my sleeve the whole time!" He grins.
I laugh and Zuko snatches the tile away from his uncle, throwing it over the falls in frustration.
Aw, too bad, now Uncle Iroh really needs to go shopping!
*Sokka*
Sokka leans over Appa, Waterbending scroll and Water Tribe Southern necklace in hand.
"WAIT!" he cried, but his long departed, little sister was already gone.
Jet
Momo is chasing after a flying insect. She lands on the ground and is distracted by a pile of lynched nuts on a bunch of leaves. She hungrily jumps into the pile and is trapped in a cage with two other animals in similar traps, hanging suspended from tree branches.
"Momo! Where are you?" Aang calls, searching for his beloved pet.
Sokka follows him, dripping wet from Aang's last 'teach himself Waterbending' with the scroll.
Suddenly Momo's cry is heard throughout the forest. Aang breaks into a run, following the sound of the cries, eventually coming to the traps.
Aang leaps into the air and lowers the cage for Momo to escape.
The captured hog-monkey's cry out and Sokka tosses his boomerang to cut the ropes, freeing them.
Sokka catches his boomerang and slides it back in his case as he kneels down to examine the trap. "Hey Aang, look at this,"
Aang squats down next to him to look.
"See the metal? The insignia? These are Fire Nation traps, we have to move," Sokka points out.
The three return to camp and Aang and Sokka pack up.
Aang is about to put his pack on Appa when Sokka speaks. "The Fire Nation has been able to track us because of Appa's humongous size, we should stay hidden and walk," Sokka points out, proclaiming himself as leader of the small group, and that they should rely on his instincts.
Aang sighs. "Well, who knows, walking could be fun!" Aang cries, trying to be optimistic.
After a long while of walking the pair were exhausted.
"How did people ever get anywhere without flying bison's?" Aang wonders, yawning.
"I guess I'm-" Sokka begins but is interrupted by someone throwing their arms around his and Aang's shoulders.
"Hey guys! What are you doing out here?" a familiar, feminine voice asks.
Sokka looks sideways and saw the dark haired, pale skinned, green eyed beauty looking behind her shoulder.
"Hi Jojo!" Aang beams, happily.
"Hey Aang," Jojo says without looking at him.
"No greeting for me?" Sokka asks, pretending to pout.
Jojo turns her head to face him, pretending to be annoyed. "Well he said hi and you didn't,"
Aang laughs and Sokka smiles.
"So, where's Appa? I've decided to go with you and be your Earthbending teacher!" Jojo says quickly.
"You did?" Aang asks.
Jojo nods.
"Well that's great! But I need to learn Waterbending first since I already started a little…" Aang trails.
Jojo waves him off. "That's perfect! But seriously, where's Appa? We need to get a move on—right Sokka?" She asks, winking at him.
"Uh…" Sokka trails.
"Sokka said it would be better to walk because then the Fire Nation won't be able to find us so easily," Aang explains to her.
Jojo purses her lips together. "Who made him leader?"
Aang shrugs. "Something about instincts,"
"Why aren't you leader? You all the Avatar after all!"
Aang didn't get to respond because just then a jet of flames shot out towards them, just missing Sokka, slightly singeing his sleeve but not catching.
Soon enough the foursome-including Momo- were surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers, bursting with anger intensified fire power.
"We promise not to hurt you if you let us pass," Sokka bluffs.
The leader laughs but is shot in the back by an arrow.
The group and the soldiers are shocked, Jojo is first to recover though and runs to the dead man, pulling out the arrow. She kneels, examining it.
It was a simple arrow, wooden, feather, iron arrowhead, but this specific arrowhead was blunt, this excellent archer had to be very skilled.
Jojo stands just before a group of teens jump down from the trees and begin taking out the soldiers.
Jojo's eyes immediately fall to the boy about Sokka's age. He has short brown hair, tanned skin, and dark eyes. He wields Twin Tiger-Head Hook swords, weapons that take a lot of training to use properly, Jojo notes, thinking about the darts hidden in her sleeves.
She has sleeping, poison, and just normal darts. Her attention was diverted back to the boy; he took out four soldiers in seconds.
Jojo's eyes the tall, quiet boy sitting on a high tree branch, raining his arrows down on the soldiers; they are disarmed by his accurate shots.
Jojo then recollects herself and joins Aang who is using his bending skills to help attack the soldiers.
Jojo kicks up a boulder and punches it at a soldier, knocking him into a tree, hard.
At the same time a huge man carrying a log twice the height of the tallest soldier smashes the soldier's blades to useless pieces of metal.
The soldiers retreat in hopeless defeat and Jet jumps, taking out two more soldiers in a spin, where he lands in front of Jojo—who grins.
Aang seems to be in awe. "That was amazing! You all took them out so quickly! I'm Aang, the Avatar, and this is Sokka and Jojo," he says, introducing them all. "Oh, and this is Momo," he adds as she perches on his shoulder.
The cute boy with the hook swords nods. "Thanks, I'm Jet and these are my gang, the Freedom Fighters, Sneers, Smellerbee, Longshot, the Duke, and Pipsqueak," Jet explains, nodding in the direction of his friends.
"Hey, you Pipsqueak?" Sokka asks, looking down at the small…boy.
"I'm the Duke!" he shouts.
"Oh…" Sokka trails meekly.
"I'm Pipsqueak," the big man says gruffly.
"Funny names," Sokka whispers.
"I wouldn't say that, they all look capable of killing you," Jojo whispers solemnly, without looking at him.
The group of Freedom Fighters walk into the bush.
"Where are they going?" Aang asks Jet.
"Before we ambushed the soldiers pursuing the Kissing Bandit-" Jet winked at Jojo- "We stumbled upon an abandoned Fire nation camp with barrels of blasting jelly and jelly candy we can take with us to our hideout," Jet explains.
Aang nods. "I'll go help!" he cried, running into the bush.
Jojo leans against a tree spinning pebbles in the air above her fingers when Jet appears out of the shadows and approaches her.
"Thanks for helping us, I know Aang already told you this, but you and your group are very skilled. I mean, so am I, but that was a lot of soldiers and I've been running for a while, I'm Jojo, of you didn't catch it," Jojo explains.
Jet nods. "Yeah, when I saw the way you three fought-especially the way you blasted boulders at them- I wondered why you didn't attack them earlier,"
"Apparently we were relying on instinct," Jojo shrugs, glancing a sidelong glare at Sokka, eyes narrow. He looked green with jealously, arms crossed, annoyed look on his face.
Jet laughs. "You can get yourself killed doing that,"
Jojo, Aang, and Sokka are taken to the Freedom Fighter's hideout, which is hidden above, in the treetops.
"Ponytail boy! Garb a rope!" Jet exclaims.
Sokka frowns. "It's not a ponytail," but he grabs the rope and is blasted off into the trees.
Jet offers a rope to Aang but he rejects it. "I got this," he says before leaping from branch to branch.
"I'll like that," Jojo says, reaching for the rope, but Jet holds it away from her.
"No, Jo, it's the only one left," Jet grins.
"Then I'll toss it back!" Jojo snaps.
Jet grabs Jojo's hand with his free hand and swings her into his arms. Before she can protest he jumps off the platform and soon enough Jet is holding Jojo with one arm as they ascend up into the trees.
When they reach their destination they drop down onto a platform.
"Whoa," Jojo breathes, taking in the scenery.
They are amongst the trees, with wooden steps, ropes, and bridges that transport people to and from little huts built on branches.
"I've never been this high before, unless I earthbend myself in the air, this is wicked, quite the sight Jet," Jojo compliments it.
Realizing she's still in his arms, she spins out of them and balances herself against the tree.
They begin walking to where the rest of the group would be waiting. As Jojo and Jet walk together, Jet explains their goal, which is to liberate a nearby Earth Kingdom village from the Fire Nation.
Then he tells the story of some of his fighters. Longshot's village was burned down by the Fire Nation and the Duke was caught stealing food from the Fire Nation as is believed to have no real home.
"What about you Jet?" Jojo asks.
Jet stops, frozen in place on the middle of a bridge. "My parents were killed by the Fire Nation, I was only eight," he replies, solemnly.
"My mother was killed by the Fire Nation when I was just an infant, I hardly remember her voice, I don't, and I just know her by the little picture my father used to keep of her. My father was kidnapped by the Fire Nation and is probably dead, I was only seven. A year before we moved out of Ba Sing Se to a small village, I don't know why, that village was burned down when I was eight," Jojo explains.
Jet apologizes and they stand on the bridge in silence, not realizing that Sokka had followed them in the shadows, green with envy.
Nighttime approaches and everyone is gathered around a large meal table.
Jet gives and inspirational speech and comments on the ambush that occurred earlier.
"Everyone was great, especially Aang and Jojo, you're excellent benders," Jet compliments the two.
"I know," Jojo waves him off.
"Thanks!" Aang beams happily.
"You both could be a lot of help in our upcoming mission-"Jet begins but Sokka stands.
"I'm sorry, but we are going to have to leave tomorrow," he says, a mixture of skepticism, jealously, suspiciousness, and stubbornness all rolled up in one.
"But Sokka, I have something planned for you too, it's very important," Jet grins.
Sokka turns to face him, now interested.
It is the next day, shafts of sunlight seep through the foliage.
Jet, Pipsqueak, and the Duke are hidden in the trees, communicating by whistling.
Sokka stabs his knife into a tree and presses his ear against it, listening for any vibrations.
Sokka eyes widen and he runs to Jet. "Someone's approaching!" he reports.
Sokka runs to see who it is and sees it's only an old man taking a stroll. "False alarm! It's only an old man!"
Ignoring Sokka, Jet jumps to the ground, maniacal grin on his face. Jet jumps in front of the old man and he is startled.
Jet begins to interrogate the old man; he tries to run away but bumps into Pipsqueak and falls to the ground.
Jet looms over his elder and begins mercilessly throwing accusations at him.
The old man begs for mercy.
"Does the Fire Nation have mercy?" he spits at the old man.
Before he kicks the old man-who is on all fours- Sokka catches Jet's foot with his Water Tribe club and flips him over, anger about this intensified by anger about yesterday as well.
"He's a harmless civilian Jet! Don't do this! I let you get away with some things, but not this!" he cries.
The three Freedom Fights reluctantly leave but Sokka stays for a second, staring down at the old man.
Aang is running around a platform, having fun throwing firecrackers down on the ground. He throws one at Momo.
Momo is startled and steals the bag from Aang, now making Aang jump to avoid the thrown sparkers.
Jojo is sitting cross-legged on the ground, taking one apart.
A disgruntled Sokka walks up to her and she looks up.
"Jet is a thug; he ruthlessly attacked an old man,"
"Just because he's old doesn't make him not dangerous," Jojo points out, remembering King Bumi.
"He was harmless, defenseless!" Sokka argues.
Jojo sighs. "I'll talk to him, but I don't believe you,"
In Jet's room, Jojo abruptly confronts Jet, slamming him against a wall. "I heard you attacked a harmless old man,"
Sokka smiles as Jet and his shared crush slams-literally and figuratively- his rival.
"Did Sokka mention he was Fire Nation?" Jet asks.
Jojo looks back at Sokka, one hand still firmly pressing Jet against the wall.
"He was still a harmless civilian!" Sokka cries.
"Hardly," Jet scoffs, tossing something on the ground.
Sokka picks it up, examining it. When he was finished he looked up. "This is an assassin's knife, with a hidden compartment for poison,"
Jet nods. "The old man was sent to eliminate me,"
"The old man never had this! He was unarmed!" Sokka shouts, storming out of the room.
Aang-who was surprisingly quiet-shifts his feet.
Jet proceeds to tell Aang and Jojo about the Fire Nation's plan to burn down the forest.
Aang shakes his head sadly as Jet speaks.
Aang and Jojo go back to their shelter.
"The Fire Nation is going to burn down this forest to Sokka!" Aang cries, tears in his eyes.
"Don't worry Aang. Jet is very smooth, but he can't be trusted," Sokka says softly.
"You're just jealous because he's a better fighter and leader than you. He's also cuter," Jojo grins.
"I am not jealous! And he is ugly! Plus my instincts-"
"My instincts tell me to stay longer and help Jet,"
"Then stay! Aang and I are leaving!"
"…but I want to help to…" Aang trails.
Sokka sighs.
"Ha ha," Jojo says before she leaves the shelter with Aang, leaving Sokka alone.
Appa is resting in the trees' canopy as Sokka, Jojo, and Aang rest in their shelter.
Sokka is resting in his guard position and is startled awake by movement outside. He peers outside to see Freedom Fighters descending down ropes.
He quickly follows them through bushes, branches, and brambles—too quickly it's almost dawn, they stop by the edge of a cliff with the view of a reservoir and the Earth Kingdom town.
Sokka listens as Jet explains that the reservoir needs to be full so none of the soldiers can survive.
"But what of the people in town, won't they be wiped out too?" the Duke asks.
"That's the price to get rid of the Fire Nation in this area," Jet sighs.
Jet continues. "Longshot will not blow the dam until I give the signal…"
While Sokka is eavesdropping he is taken by surprise when Smellerbee and Pipsqueak grab him from behind.
Jet and Sokka argue but when Sokka does not heed Jet's words he orders Pipsqueak and Smellerbee to take him on a long walk.
As Sokka is being led away Jet speaks. "Cheer up Ponytail boy, because we're going to win a great victory against the Fire Nation today," he grins.
Jet, Jojo and Aang are walking along an almost dry riverbed to where they will be able to help.
Aang is suddenly blasted in the air by a stream of hot air.
"We're here," Jet grins. "There is underground water trying to escape through vents in the ground. I want you to extract water from the geysers,"
Aang nods, beginning to do the task.
"What am I supposed to do? I'm not Waterbender," Jojo asks.
Jet shrugged. "Open the geysers wider from Aang, open up a part of the river temporary to let water fill up the river, not to fast though, when you're done meet me back at the hideout,"
Jojo nods and Jet left.
The pair finishes early and Jojo decides that they should meet Jet at the reservoir.
"He'll be happy to see us," Jojo grins.
Aang nods. "Of course!"
At the reservoir, Jojo and Aang see barrels of blasting jelly lines in front of the dam.
"Jet's going to blow the dam!" Jojo realizes.
Aang heads toward the dam on his glider but Jet intercedes and disarms him.
He holds his arms up. "Alright, you caught me, I was going to destroy the town and its inhabitants, but it's war, the cost of war, the only way,"-he turns toward Jojo-"I want you to understand me Jo, I thought Sokka would too,"
"Where's Sokka?" Jojo demands.
Jet begins to walk towards her but she kicks up a boulder at him who just narrowly dodges it.
"Tell me dammit!" she screams.
Aang tries to grab his glider but Jet uses his hook swords to pull it away and begins to attack.
Aang leaps onto a tree branch. "I will not fight you Jet!"
"You're going to have to if you want your glider back," Jet says, turning his back to Jojo, who is extremely angry now for being ignored.
Jet then leaps up onto the branch and they end up battling in the trees. Jet and Aang leap from branch to branch and balance on the broad branches. Jet's awesome skill with the Tiger hooks is shown when he attaches them together and doubles his range. Aang avoids the attacks and uses his airbending skills to blow Jet off the branch. He succeeds, but Jet catches hold of a branch with his Tiger hooks.
In the process, he drops the glider and Aang begins to plummet down towards his glider.
Jet releases himself from the branch and increases his speed by plummeting straight down. He grabs hold of a limber branch and swats Aang into another branch.
Aang falls to the ground and lands on his back with a hard thud.
Jet jumps down and begins to approach the fallen Aang when a speeding boulder with Jojo on it slams him into a tree.
"I'm an idiot Jet, I thought you were like me but of course you aren't. No one is. You are no better than the Fire Nation!" she spits, not able to come up with much else in her rage.
"I'm nothing like the Fire Nation!" Jet cries.
"Oh really? So you weren't going to kill a bunch of innocent people? That's what the Fire Nation does, you know that Jet,"
Jet stares at the Earthbender, suddenly teary eyed, memories must have swarmed him. "I'm sorry, I really am Jo,"
"Don't be telling me that,"
Jet sighs but a whistle sound comes out by mistake. Jet's eyes widen. "Jo!" he screams.
Jojo's eyes flicker to the dam and she jumps up, shooting herself in the air, and is sent flying towards the river.
She lifts her arms and piles boulder on top of boulder until the rushing water came to a stop.
Jojo sighs, relieved and exhausted, as she earthbends herself back to the group, where Sokka was with the townspeople. He had explained something to a guilty, ashamed looking Jet.
Jojo grins. "Looks that you needn't go through all that trouble Sokka, the town is fine,"
"Yeah! Jojo saved it! It was some wicked Earthbending! She's gotta teach me!" Aang cried.
Jojo leans against a tree, arms crossed. "Waterbending first, remember?"
Aang pouts.
"Well, we shout probably be going…" Sokka trails as Aang whistles for Appa.
"Can I come with you?" Jet asks.
"Why!" Sokka asks, harshly.
"I need this, I want to get better and help people more, I can do that with the Avatar," Jet explains.
Jojo shrugged. "I see no problem with it,"
"But what about the Freedom Fighters?" Aang asks.
Jet smiles. "They will be fine, besides, it's time for a new leader anyways," he turns to the Duke.
"Me?" she asks.
Jet nods and the Duke grins. "I promise I will do my best,"
"I know you will,"
Sokka sighs. "Fine…but…I kind of trapped Smellerbee and Pipsqueak in traps, we may want to free them before we go…" Sokka trails meekly.
The Duke nods. "Don't worry Jet, I'll make sure everyone's okay,"
"Thanks," Jet says.
And so the foursome-plus Momo- climb upon Appa and ascend into the skies.
eek. umm...review?