A time for actions
Longshot had already dived into the water and was now paddling for dear life, shedding his armor as he went to lighten his load.
Jet meanwhile was trying to grasp what to do, he looked out the window and saw the boat still headed towards the caves opening, "come on…come on…" he thought.
Suddenly he saw someone on the opposite shore wave a flare at the peninsula towers. They started ringing bells to sound an alarm, no doubt to signal the men to seal the tunnel entrance.
"No no no!" He thought out loud. Suddenly he saw a shape coming towards the peninsula in the water, he could make out it was a person…it was, oh god Longshot! There were soldiers coming out of the other watch towers to wait for him as he got closer to the shore. They were going to fire bend him!
Jet climbed out the window and brandished his hook swords, grappling onto the cord that lead across the water to the other shore.
He zip lined down it, seeing Long shot get closer and closer before his arms finally gave out, and saw the Fire Nation soldiers raising their fists. He unhooked his swords from the wire by jerking his hands and flipped downwards right onto the back of one of the soldiers breaking his fall for him.
Grunting from the pain but still cognizant for the sake of his friend, he hooked the other soldiers foot in his hook sword and swung his legs from underneath him. The other guards had now snapped out of their shock of this crazy haired boy falling from the sky on top of their friends and began to jerk their fists at him sending flames his way. He ducked and dodged them, grabbing a hand full of dirt in his hand as he rolled and threw it in the face of one of the soldiers he grasped his eyes in agony.
He hit him on the back of the head with his sword, knocking him out, if he weren't wearing his helmet, he would have opened his head with the force. The other bender growled and kicked a flame right at Jet, catching his shoulder, but Jet didn't stop moving as he spun around bringing the sword down on his wrist, by sheer luck with the blunt side. Still that blunt side made a definant cracking noise making the main wail and sink to his knees. Jet ended his spinning behind the man and kicked him into the water off of the dock. He put out his shoulder pad before it burned through it, and turned to the last soldier, apparently unable to bend with just his spear. Jet just narrowed his eyes, "Don't make me kill you…" he hissed.
Finally Zuko, Iroh, Katara reached where Daiken had said he found the cave-tunnel. "Like I said…." He said matter of factly.
Katara poked her head in the tunnel…it seemed like it went on without end, but she could hear a faint echoing.
"I hear something…" she said. Everyone else strained their hearing too. It sounded like a fight. "Oh no I'm too late…." She said to herself.
Brago watched as his benders and the benders of the outpost put out the now roaring fire from the buildings. Some guards were saving goods from the buildings. Others were busy taming the beasts that were inside the stalls, such as ostrich horses and water strider-newts.
He saw some men hurrying into a fire nation speed boat and walked over to them. The young corporal following the man he guessed was docking major, was looking…somewhat nervous….not in light of the goings on, it was as if there was guilt in his eyes.
"You there!" He called to them, he noticed the young man tipping his helmet over his eyes, the major however stood up at attention, "Sir?" he asked.
Brago stopped at the edge of the docks next to their boat, "Lieutenant Marshell Brago, I'm here to conduct a search of this region for war crimminals. Whats the meaning of this?" he asked looking around.
"Major Feng..." The Major replied then looked at the burning buildings, "Earth Kingdom Sabatours…." He replied, "We're trying to snuff them out right now, we aren't allowing anyone to leave the complex…"
Brago nodded,
"See to it that ship doesn't leave this station either…" he said pointing to the cargo ship that was getting ever nearer to the cave-tunnel.
"The orders have already been given….." Major Feng said looking over his shoulder. Both of them could now see the men at the cave opening were closing the spiky gate, preventing anything from getting in or out.
"Now if you'll excuse me…." Feng said, "I have to go inquire of the crew of that very ship." He bowed to Brago who bowed back.
"One more thing Major…" Brago said.
Feng looked annoyed but turned round, "Yes sir?" he asked.
"Is there something this young man would like to say….." he asked, looking at the soldier in the boat with him.
Feng looked back at him,
"Ahh yes….this is the vigilant lad whose job it was to watch those fuel barrels…" he said. "He'll be held responsible but for not I need him."
Brago nodded,
"As you were sir…" and bowed again. Rather than bowing back, the man simply sat down in the boat and piloted the loud machine across the water towards the ship.
Brago glanced at the peninsula between them and the ship across the water. "How would their actions of not been signaled unless…." He turned to a passing soldier. "Soldier…lend me your scope…." He said seeing the telescope on his belt. The young man gave it up willingly and stood at attention. Brago peered through the spying glass, and saw a men, no two men, Fire Nation, laying motionless on the banks of the peninsula….he looked to the right and saw a man being helped out of the water by another young man with frizzy long…..hair…
"Him….." Brago said lowly narrowing his eyes.
"Sir?" the cadet asked, but his looking scope was handed back to him, as Brago simply brushed past him in the direction of the stables towards the ostrich horses and lizards.
Meanwhile Jet was just finishing helping Longshot out of the water, and helping him cough up whatever had gotten in his lungs. "Breath Longshot…" he was saying. "We can still do this…"
Longshot shook his head while coughing and pointed behind them. Jet looked over his shoulder at what he feared…..the gates to the cave tunnel had been closed. They were trapped, and the ship Sokkka and Toph were on now with Smellerbee sat in the water motionless as crew members looked over the side wondering what was wrong. He saw a boat streaking right past the peninsula towards the ship. "No…." he said. "I'm not letting everyone down this time…." He growled getting up, with Longshot under his arm.
Suddenly Longshot tugged on his arm again pointed across the water. Jet peered in the direction he was pointing and saw someone approaching them on a water-strider lizard… "Great…Longshot, take the raft behind the tower and get on board the ship, help them in any way you can….I'll hold them off..." Jet said. Longshot nodded to him,
"Are you strong enough?" Longshot took a deep breath and nodded picking up the Fire Nation soldiers spear. Jet smiled, "Good man, now go…!" and patted his back hard as he ran past Jet.
Jet went out to the docks to meet this advosary coming towards him on the water walking lizard…..and recognized that face as it got closer.
"YOU…." He said gritting his teeth and brandished both his swords, as he saw his enemy, the one he remembered being named Brago…..the son of an even more ruthless general in the Fire Nation army. He had been behind many commandeering's of little villages in the Earth Kingdom, ones Jet had tried to liberate several times. He saw Brago reach to his belt while riding and pull out his own….double-bladed katana, and let the tip touch the water as he rode towards him.
Jet looked from left to right and saw a sword that had been dropped by one of the soldiers he'd taken down. He picked it up, aimed it and threw it with all his might at the beast as it nearly reached the shore.
The beast turned in mid stride and let itself sink in the water defensively to avoid being pierced by the flying weapon. But as it did, Brago, stood on its shoulders and flipped off the beast landing perfectly onto one of the posts of the docks that Jet now stood on. In the same motion he brought his weapon down on Jets two hook swords with a thunderous clang.
Meanwhile the trecherous Major Feng and the young guard in his command were boarding the ship from the back. Feng opened the secret side door used for emergency exits using fire bending to melt off the handle lock, then opened it carefully. No one was down here, prefect.
"Hurry and help me with that barrel….." he said hurriedly to the young man as he hesitantly put his hands about the fuel barrel.
On board Sokka and Smellerbee were busy on deck handling the rest of the crew members. Smellerbee was incredibly fast and was running through the at first, crowds of men with her knives blazing, slicing their calves and ankles and for-arms, making them yelp in pain before they could even raise their weapon in defense. Toph was bending the rocks that were sent her way back at the sailors with more force than they had used to send them at her, kicking them back like a soccer ball, or hitting them back with her fists.
"Look out!" Sokka called and hurled his Boomerang at a foe behind Smellerbee, who ducked as it clonked a man right in the solarplexes, making him cringe to the deck floor.
"More are coming…." Sokka said walking over to her side and picking his boomerang up, "And we need that gate open…."
Smellerbee growled looking at the door that more men would be streaming from at any minute. Toph leaned over,
"I could do it but I need a way to get across the water and I can't leave you two here to fend off the whole ship…." she said.
Finally the door opened and more men poured out, the three got in defensive stances, then advanced, Sokka threw his boomerang yet again, Toph kicked a rock from a previous fight into the head of another man. And Smellerbee ran head long into their midst, blocking their swipes at her and disarming them.
All of a sudden one of the sailors Sokka had taken down got up again, staggering, but purposed. He came up behind him holding his hammer in his hand.
Toph heard him and yelled, "Sokka!" Sokka turned around to see the great man glaring down at him, then with a -thump- he fell down, and his eyes rolled in the back of his head. Behind him was Longshot, twirling a spear in his hands like a bo-staff.
"LONGSHOT!" Smellerbee exclaimed mid fight. "Longshot!" Sokka said equally as happy, then turned serious, "Have you seen Katara or Jet?" Longshot shook his head and pointed to the gates.
"Are they alright?" Toph asked, kicking a remaining conciouse sailor in the face. Longshot paused then nodded.
Sokka looked at Longshot and Smellerbee, "Can you steer this barge?"
Smellerbee cocked her head, "Pshhh in our sleep…."
Longshot looked at her like she was crazy, then heard a crew member groaning next to him on floor of the deck and struck him on the head with the blunt end of his spear.
Sokka moved right on,
"Take the helm….fast…..Me and Toph are opening those gates…Toph, get on my back…"
Toph looked wide eye'd at him, "Wha-? Oh gosh really...we're going to dive off the shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-..." she was hoisted onto Sokka's back and was now holding on for dear life as he bounded over the railing of the ship.
Meanwhile across the water on the peninsula Jet and Brago were still locked in fierce combat. (again for reference at what Brago's blade looks like, google Kadaj's sword.)
Brago's gaze was sharp as a flint and spun his blade fluidly through the air, making it sing before it clashed again against Jet's Hook swords. He could see the rogue Jet was getting annoyed at how he kept putting him in the position of having to use both his blades to block, instead of leaving him open to strike at him with the other sword. He just hoped Jet didn't realize he'd noticed his tell that he favored his left foot while fighting, he had to press this advantage, just cause he was annoying him didn't make him better.
"Murderer…." Jet said slicing at air that Brago's head would've been at…
Brago came up after ducking swiping at Jet's feet, forcing him to cartwheel to the left. Anticipating this he brought his weapon down at where his back would be in 3….2… -CLANG-
Jet's hook sword made it there to block his strike just in time. Damn he was faster than even last time…not only that but now he was on his feet and had hooked his two swords onto each other and was swinging them like a sling, forcing Brago now to bend backwards and side step.
He twisted his wrist, chancing it, and was able to actually knock Jet's hook sword out of the air, making it land in the water, sticking straight up at least 12 yards from them with a splash. Jet was knocked back by the hit that went up to his shoulder, and held it as it throbbed. Brago followed up with a side kick, that Jet took with his side, making him stumble back into the water. Now they both stared at each other, Jet with one foot on the shore and the other in the water, Brago with the high ground… Jet could either make a break for the sword, or try something daredevil-ish he hadn't thought of right here and now….he was quite able to do either….doing either and succeed was the catch.
He studied the boy's eyes from behind his messed up hair….breathing in an out steadily as Jet on the other hand grunted in anger. "Patience…." He remembered master Piando saying.
With a splash Jet sent his sword upwards in an attempt to splash water in Brago's face, it caught his face but not his eyes and was able to keep them on Jet. Still Jet used the momentary distraction to dart for his sword, and now had Brago running alongside him as he did. They both kept their eyes on each other as they ran so as not to leave an opening to be struck, Jet was letting his weapon skid the water, while Brago's scraped the dust of the shore. Jet was fast, he had less armor on, but Brago could still get between him and his weapon in time to deliver a blow that Jet couldn't deflect.
Suddenly Jet's arm jerked and just in time Brago skidded in his sprint to let a knife wiz by his chest…
Jets hands closed tightly around his hook sword and yanked it from the water standing at ready….damn….he was able to pull out a wild card.
Suddenly there was a rumble, and Jet grinned, "Way to go Longshot…" he said.
Toph was on the walk way of the walls on the outside of the cave opening where the gates were controlled. She heaved as hard as she could and the roof of the cave, along with the huge gate came loose and plunged into the water. Sokka stood over the groaning guards he had just finished taking down.
"WHOOHOO!" Sokka shouted triumphantly. They could both hear childrens' cheers from the windows of the boat as it began moving again towards the now open cave tunnel.
Suddenly they heard a buzzing noise and looked down to see a speed boat taking off from the side of the ship and skid off towards the depot again.
"Where are they going?" Sokka asked. Something didn't feel right….
"Were those children?..." Brago asked,
Jet snarled, "Like you care!" he began circling Brago, who immitated him, sword held high.
"You kill two Fire Nation soldiers...one of them by burying him alive….then attempt to kill more by blowing up a depot…you WILL tell me what those children's cheers I just heard were." Brago said angrily.
Jet's hands tightened on his sword handles. "I only did what your people have done to mine for years….." Jet hissed.
"And that monster I buried alive had killed a poor little girl and was trying to cover it up….that hole was meant for her. And his friend is lucky that I didn't catch him too…."
Brago glared, "As if I should believe that…you're a terrorist…"
Suddenly the sound of speed boat went off and they Jet actually turned is head for some reason as the Fire Nation boat jetted passed them, a lot more speedily for the lack of fuel barrels on board it.
"That's him!" Jet said angrily. He felt two sword tips on the back of his neck. He shut his eyes holding in his anger.
"A flick of my wrist and you won't be thinking ANYTHING…..now…Your friends won't get far even if that gate is opened, I can easily patch through that your on the run and you'll be picked off like birds to one of my hawks..." Brago said.
"Tell me where-…"
He was interupted by Jet who cut in defiantly, "WHY is that guy speeding off right now? THATS THE GUY WHO WAS THERE THAT NIGHT!.."
Brago raised his arm a bit to press the sword tips closer, "What guy...?" He asked bitterly.
Jet still didn't drop his swords, but kept his eyes shut, "That's the man….who was there…trying to burry that girl…." he said in the gravest hate and seriousness.
Brago was about to scoff it off but thought….the guilty look….the fact that they were now SPEEDILY leaving the scene when they said they were going there to help secure the ship...? Why didn't anyone at the depot seem genuinely happy for he and his men's arrival, and why WERE there children's screams on the ship just now…?
"I won't ask again…." He said pressing his sword tips against his head again, bringing his elbow higher. "WHY did I hear children's voices on that cargo ship….."
Jet still kept his swords tight in his hands but opened his eyes, "Ask your men….it's their slave ship…"
The words hit Brago like a drum baton, "Lie to me again….." he warned.
Jet turned around so that the tips of the blade were near his eyes now, "Do I look like I'm lying?..." he spat. "This place has been a sweet spot for Mountain ghost slavers for who knows how long….I doubt this is the first you've heard of it….." Brago blinked without meaning to, this young man WASN'T lying.
Jet continued, unwavering despite the blades that were inches from his face, "Those "CHILDREN" on that ship…..me and my terrorists group are liberating them….before they get shipped to who knows where so sorry about your damned warehouse being burned!"
Brago digested it against his will. The men not being happy to see him arrive…..the guilty faces…..this place was a death trap….there was a slim chance of anyone carrying out a terrorist operation and escaping period…why would they choose this place just to send a message?…and he did just hear children cheering on that boat that was now almost half way in the tunnel…but wait, that Major Feng and his fidgety young underling…why were they so eager to get to the boa-…Oh no….please be wrong….please be wrong…please be wrong. Brago remembered the lack of fuel barrels on the boat that sped away. In any circumstance, they were supposed to bring back EMPTY barrels, not leave them there.
"You swear on the life of your fallen comrades…those are slave children….and that was the man who you said did those things?" Brago demanded.
Jet's eyes flared at the mention but nodded. Suddenly to Jet's surprise, the sword tips were whisked away from in front of his eyes, but kept up between him and Brago.
"Get in that boat…." He said motioning to one of the remaining boats by the peninsula docks, "MOVE!"
Jet walked to it, "Why…." Jet said.
"Because…." Brago said, "If you're not lying….then there's every chance those kids on that ship are about to die...now move now!"
The Fire Nation cruiser. Makeshift prison quarters made from west boiler room.
Aang hung his head as his arms and legs were suspended in air…once again, from strong chains near the ceiling and floors corners. This time there was a color around his neck, likened to a dog, keeping his head up more then was comfortable.
He breathed out a heavy sigh….well….that was that…..he was captured again….funny almost, he'd been in a setting just like this once before, now all he had to do was wait for an acrobatically skilled blue spirit to come and save him, broad swords drawn.
He chuckled sort of at the odds of it, then winced as he felt the pain from the burn marks of Princess Azula's last…inquiry visit. His cheek was charred, as were his clothes, from the waist up, she said she wanted him to have at least a taste of what was waiting for him later on the next morning. Morning, he didn't even know what time it was, there were no windows or doors save the one that faced him across the room. Two guards stationed on earth sides of the door, facing him, emotionless because of their skeletal helmet masks. It looked very bleak…..but then there was always that chance….she cou- No…no….it was stupid for him to guess that…..he had seen the turmoil in her eyes….perhaps there was a true element of bonding in her and her friends lives…...it was a different thing all together when your face to face with what your leaving behind. Not to mention were she to do ANYTHING to help him now...she'd be chained up along with him. But still...something maybe even see him? ...hadn't they been through enough?
Psssh... Listen to him...talking as if he'd known her for years...yet why did it pain him so much that she wasn't coming...not even to rescue him as much as...come to him...FOR him.
But right now his friends were in danger, he had to focus on that. Focus on what he would do to get free so that he could hopefully find them before Azula did…he didn't want any of his friends to face what was before him now…
Brago forced Jet to pilot the boat to the hull of the ship, still at sword point.
"Why would Feng burry a child?..." Brago asked. Jet glared ahead, not moving.
"Your men were accepting off more kids to this port..." he said gritting his teeth,
Brago looked up at the ship they were nearing, "From who...?" Brago asked still having his sword at Jet's neck.
Jet stopped the boat.
"Mountain Ghosts they called thimselves..." he said. That definatly rang a bell in Brago's head, and Jet continued:
"One of the girls...tried running and I guess one of your guys didn't care to much for that...when we found them, him and another guy were digging a hole for her. He went off on an Ostrich horse leaving the other guy to stay behind and burry the evidence..."
Brago wished what he was hearing could be past off as lies but he'd heard lies before...this man was telling the truth...
"Where is the man now..." Brago asked. Jet put his hand on the metal of the ladder on the side of the ship. "Where do you think?" he said looking back at him.
Sokka saw this from the ship's port bow.
"They got Jet!" he called. "I don't see Katara though!" he said frantically.
Smellerbee brandished her weapons again, "Why I oughta….." she began.
"Wait they're coming aboard…" Sokka interrupted… "Jet doesn't seem mad though….just worried." Longshot looked at his leader coming up the side of the ship with the Fire Nation general or whoever behind him. He glanced at Sokka, who turned back to Longshot and then said, "I know right?"
Meanwhile on the opposite shore, Major Feng and his underling were looking through a spyglass at the ship as it slowly disappeared into cave, "That Leautenant Marshell went on the ship with a hostage…." He said. "If he finds anything, he'll take the secret with him to the bottom of the water before they reach the other side of that tunnel…."
The Fire Nation Cadet shut his eyes and suddenly yelled, "NO!" then suddenly began calling: "SOMEONE HELP WE HAVE TO STOP THAT SHIP!" He was grabbed by the Major and punched out. Feng raised his hand to punch him again, only this time with his fist flaming. But before he could deliver the final blow, soldiers had gathered to the source of the screaming.
"….this man is in league with the terrorists…." Major Feng said, "Don't believe a word he says…."