A/N: Before I say anything else, I want to apologize for the somber tone of this chapter. Even though Iroh said Bumi was a bit wild man, I would still see Bumi treating a situation such as this, with a bit of hesitance. Yes, he is brave, but I also think underneath his carefree demeanor and humor, he still harbors great intelligence. I see him resembling Sokka a lot personality wise, and I guess I really tried to capture that in this chapter. I am one of those people who do believe that Bumi's more "Wild" side developed as time went on in the Forces, because I can't imagine anyone being highly bold when they are still new to the work of a soldier. Anyway, that's just my opinion. Thanks for the lovely reviews and make sure to keep sending them in. Sorry I always ramble in these. God bless!

Disclaimer: I don't own "Avatar: The Last Airbender" or "Legend of Korra".

The feeling of helplessness is one he is unfamiliar with, yet he has been coming head to head with it multiple times in the course of a mere few weeks. But when it hits him head on, to a point where there is no masked figure waiting to intervene in the shadows. No, that masked warrior was waiting on him now.

Mako and Bumi arrived at the village, the dark of night still surrounding them as they tripped roughly over roots and thorns punctured their skin. The two carried on in a frantic fashion, both knowing that they had very little time to act. Both not realizing that at this point, it was likely useless.

When they stopped and looked at the town, their jaws tightened at the amount of rebels that had been sent there. The rebel forces were obviously growing, which would account for the General's frequent absences the past few days.

They viewed the town through a smokey haze as they watched multiple prisoners be taken, with hands tied behind their back and lungs wheezing, to a small wooden building set off at the end of town, the rebels roughly shoving them, yelling for them to pick up their pace as they fearfully tripped over one another.

The color red bathed the town in a sick fashion, even the moon's delicated moonbeams not being able to steal the attention of the soldier's from the rising flames that caked many of the buildings in the village. With another sickening glance, Bumi realized that among the buildings burning, the Healer's home that he had been staying at was ablaze as well.

There were signs of struggle though, they could see water sloshed around on the ground where a few waterbenders in the village tried their best to escape the clutches of the rebels, but from the boot marks in the mud, both Bumi and Mako could clearly see that they stood no chance against the practiced men. There were pieces of Earth dislodged from the ground as well showing that the earthbenders didn't go down without a fight either, but with the power of sheer numbers, the rebels had been able to take them down as well.

Bumi grimaced as he heard the people inside the building screaming for someone to help them, all scared out of their minds at what had just taken place.
In the midst of it all, the young man could even see a few figures in the open window that were guards stationed in this town, them too overtaken by the rebels.

"This is bad," Mako murmured his eyes wide at the scene before him. They had seen rebel infested towns before, but their attacks were excalating in both tactic, and destruction.

"I don't care," Bumi's voice was dangerously determined, and that wasn't lost on his friend that stood next to him, both crouching behind trees so they wouldn't get spotted.

"Bumi," The young man in question looked at his friend, a stormy glaze over his normally mischevious grey eyes, "This is really dangerous. We can't afford to do something stupid here."

The tanned young man nodded, though his jaw refused to slacken any, and his glare grew intense as he watched the rebels herd in a group of children,
shoving them into where the adults were and eliciting a few cries of shock and fear from the young ones.

The rebels were heavily guarding this town, for good reason too. They had just ceased a trade port. An open window to all the nations had just opened up for them. This was a dangerous aquirement.

"Stopping trade here will make them more powerful," Bumi murmured knowingly, mostly speaking to himself, "It makes a statement. Though it's only fruit, people will miss getting the product. This also makes it easier for them to overtake other coastal towns in this region."

"Why do you think they raided this town first? Why not one of the other ones? This one doesn't even receive or ship to places like Republic City."

Bumi pursed his lips, a calculating look appearing in his eyes as he peered from behind the cool bark of the tree and on to the flames heavily burdening the village, "I think someone tipped them off about Ursa. Whoever did so, must of told them they needed a cover to undertake such a mission. So they decided a raid would be fitting."

"And you think this person is Sho?"

Bumi's features grew solemn as he looked his friend directly in the eyes, a new fire burning within them as his voice shook with conviction, "I don't think it was him, I know."

Mako nodded, turning his gaze back to the village as well as things began to calm down a bit. The rebels were done forcing the prisoners within the confines of the small building, and were now locking it and consulting about the type of security it was going to need, and which people would take first shift.

Bumi couldn't understand the men that stood in the middle of the blazing village, so uneffected by what they were doing. They all appeared to be men around the same age as Mako and himself, though some were certainly older, but they didn't look any different from the people they imprisoned. Why they would feel the need to turn their backs on the world and allow someone to hold so much power over them that they begin to make bad decisions,
all for some silly promise of position after everythings over, is ridiculous.

"When I was younger my father use to tell me about how people see things, how different all of our perceptions are concerning situations and imaginary boundary lines," Bumi's voice was barely above a whisper, but Mako could hear an understanding in his tone as if he had only just discovered the truth in his father's words, "I'm starting to see that when you look at it, we all are the same. No matter who you are or what nation you are from, you are still a person."

Mako's dark brows furrowed, his amber eyes unsure, "Bumi, I don't quite understand what that has to do with everything now."

"Because the General is giving these people power over others," Bumi's face broke into a small smile as he had a realization peak through, "It's like how he was talking about Fire Lord Zuko denying his father a position in the Forces because of his past loyalties. It was precautionary on the Fire Lord's terms, but to the General it was more. He was thrown down from the power he felt was rightfully his. These people are just fighting for the power they think is rightfully there's. It's all in reverse."

Mako's face was now turning skeptical, "I still don't see why that matters."

"Because," Bumi sighed in exasperation, his thoughts making perfect sense in his head, yet they weren't being presented correctly, "Though these people are doing horrible things to other people, these rebels are still people as well. They are people being manipulated, being bribed, to do what they are doing. This had nothing to do with balance like the General was talking about. This is all about power."

Mako nodded, silently trying to put the pieces together as his friend had done, "So, are you saying you don't think these people are bad?"

Bumi shook his head, "Oh no, they are," His eyes then glanced back over to where a few guards stood before the doors of where the prisoners were being held, ayoung guard wincing as a woman's crying cut through the air, "But they may be making bad choices because of circumstances."

"Now you're just trying to make a point. It's annoying."

Bumi had to chuckle at that, despite the circumstances. His expression sobered though when his thoughts turned back to the Princess he had originally planned to save.

"Where do you think their keeping Ursa?"

The tanned soldier looked back over to where the prisoner's were being held, but he wasn't an idiot, he knew they wouldn't keep her in there. They would keep her under lock and key somewhere close to the heart of the rebels.

"Not here."

Mako nodded his head as well, "I wouldn't think so either. Where do you think Sho would transport her though?"

Bumi didn't hesitate to answer, "To the town we are suppose to raid soon. That's what they are considering the hub right now. They would take her somewhere where their is a high concentration of rebels, just to ensure that she wouldn't be able to escape."

"Do you think they took Bo there too?"

The young man froze at the question, his grey eyes returning to the flames still flickering, the smoke still producing a heavy smell, "I honestly don't know."

"You think something bad happened to him, don't you?"

Bumi's mouth opened to deny that, but he couldn't. Though he spoke of every man being a person, even he knew there were some that didn't look at things that way.

Both men shared a look, forgetting the question and slowly backing away from the village, the two deciding standing around wouldn't do anything.

A cool breeze blew through the trees then, making Bumi sigh in relief that it may redirect some of the smoke cloaking the village and causing the prisoners eyes to water and throats to ache. Maybe now they would be slightly more comfortable.

"So what now?"

Bumi kept his pace even, now less frantic as his senses returned to him and kicked in, "I don't know. Ursa is going to be fine, she wouldn't do much for them if she was dead."

"Should we go and try to help her?"

Bumi's brows furrowed, a conflicted look gaining his features, "That's what I'm not sure about."

Mako shrugged, "It's your call, Water Tribe."

The tanned soldier breathed deeply for a moment, really trying to get a grasp of things, trying to figure a way where he could protect the girl he loved without getting them both into more trouble.

"I feel as though they may be anticipating for me to do something," The boy finally spoke, his voice a whisper as he stepped over a raised tree root, "But then again, who knows if they know of my relationship to the Princess? I just fear though that if they were to capture me, they would have both of the most powerful men in the world eating from the palms of their hands in order to get their children back," Bumi's face became pained as that feeling of helplessness washed over him again, "But I just can't let them keep Ursa. They won't kill her, but they probably will allow her health to deteriorate so that when and if they get the Fire Lord to come, she will look frail and sick."

Mako sighed, his hand subconsciously grabbing at the warm material encircling his neck, "This is a pretty tough decision. But I think you were right on the first count. If you were to get involved, you would just be that much more of an advantage they would gain if you were caught. We are raiding the village in a few days, I would just wait until then."

"But the rebels are prepared for that too."

Mako silenced at that, remembering the conversation they had overheard between the General and the rebels.

"Maybe I could get away though from the forces I'm supposed to be with," The young man's brain started working. His father had always told him he was a mad genius, and now was the time where he really needed those brilliant ideas he was so famous for, "Instead of fighting head on as the General expects me to do, I'll rescue Ursa instead."

"But what if they are planning on revealing her during the raid as a way to get us to drop our weapons or contact the Fire Lord?"

Bumi nodded thoughtfully, "That's a possibility," Then he snapped his fingers, stopping and turning to his companion, "We will retrieve her right before the raid starts."

Mako raised a brow, "And how do you plan on doing that?"

The young man smiled, "Well, with a big amount of their rebels being sent to the coast, I would imagine they are going to need as many men as possible to help with defense."

"You don't think their keeping a guard with her at all times?"

Bumi sighed, shaking his head, "Mako, I'm saying that this is something that we will just have to improvise. I have no choice. Ursa risked it all following me here, and though her plan was really stupid and reckless, she still did it to protect me. She saved my life. I owe her this but even if she hadn't done that I would still put my life on the line if it meant her safe return. I'm not paying a debt to her though, I genuinely have to do this because I think I love her."

Mako released a deep sigh, shaking his head as a small grin appeared on his features, "As if that's new information."

Bumi chuckled slightly, "I'm just saying that no matter what move I make, it's going to be risky. Better not to overthink things and lose your courage. I need to face this head on and protect the person who would do the same for me. I already feel terrible for waiting until the raid to go through with it, but I'm going to make sure that whatever I do during that hour or so of my life, is what I came here to do. I didn't come here to fight, I came to protect."

The two shared a quiet moment befoe Mako just gave a slight nod of his head, "That's very honorable of you, Bumi. You should be proud."

With a lopsided grin that soon turned unsure, Bumi shrugged his shoulders, "Don't say that. I haven't even done anything yet."

Mako placed a firm hand on the young man's shoulder a small smile appearing on his features, "It doesn't matter. You will."

The two continued back to their camp in silence, both's minds a million miles away.

Mako was thinking of the young boy who he had helped direct to a village not very long ago, the child who was so adament about protecting his sister and leading her to where they needed to go. The boy that had given him the scarf around his neck just so he could keep it till they met again, yet here he was unsure if they would ever cross paths.

Glancing at Bumi, he noticed the faraway look in his eyes, and despite the reassurance he had given him earlier, he could see the defeat settling in his shoulders. He had to sympathize with him though, for if it was Leia being put into that position, he too would be just about at his wit's end.

Bumi was walking quietly, his feet narrowly avoiding loose debris on the forest floor. His mind was still on Ursa. Though he could feel he was doing the right thing by waiting, he couldn't help but also feel like he was betraying her. She had been so willing to putting herself in danger to save him, that it made him feel like a coward to let something such as numbers stop him from rescuing the girl he loved.

But Bumi knew he had put a lot more thought into his actions than the impulsive Princess and in the end, that could prove to be an advantage.

He hoped.