Lake Laogai

I don't own Digimon

Chapter Thirty Five: Lake Laogai

In The Gaang's home in Ba Sing Se, Toph was laying on the floor beside Sokka who was busy drawing inaccurate pictures of Appa while Daisuke sat on the window ledge with Flame by her side and she petted her dragon's snout. The door then opened as Aang and Katara ran into the house. "We found a printer to make our posters," Katara cheerfully said as Aang showed them a poster of Appa.

"Hey I thought I was in charge of drawing the posters for Appa," Sokka said upset as he showed his crude drawing of Appa and Katara tried to hold back laughter.

"Sokka the arrow is on his head," Aang told him.

"That is his head," Sokka said pointing at the picture of Appa.

"Then why are there feet coming out of it?" Katara asked.

"Those are his horns," Sokka said. "I haven't seen him in a while," He said hanging his head.

"Well I think it looks just like him," Toph said mockingly.

"Thank you I worked-," Sokka said before he remembered Toph was blind. "Why do you do that?" He asked.

"Let's stick to the professional one," Katara said and Sokka angrily tore up his picture.

"Come on, time to get busy," Aang said handing out posters of Appa to the Gaang. Soon Aang and Momo were flying through the air along with Flame and Daisuke and they dropped posters throughout the city. In the teashop Iroh served some tea to two customers who drank it and they both smiled as they enjoyed the taste of it and they then approached Iroh.

"So you're the genius behind this incredible brew. The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well," One of the men said to Iroh.

"Good tea is its own reward," Iroh answered him.

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward. How would you like to have your own tea shop?" The man asked Iroh whose eyes widened.

"My own tea shop? This is a dream come true!" He said happily as Pao got in between them.

"What's going on here? Are you trying to poach my tea-maker?" He asked.

"Sorry Pao, but that's business for you, am I right?" The man asked Pao who turned to Iroh.

"Mushi, if you stay, I'll make you assistant manager. Wait, senior assistant manager!" He said quickly.

"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring, tea shop is yours to do whatever you want, complete creative control," The man said to Iroh as Zuko looked over.

"I even get to name the shop!?" Iroh asked.

"Of course!" The man replied.

"Uh, senior executive assistant manager?" Pao said but Iroh handed his teapot to him and bowed to the man.

"Did you hear, nephew? This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the Upper Ring of the city!" He said to Zuko who walked up to him.

"That is right young man, this opportunity will change your life for the better," The man told Zuko.

"He's right nephew, your girlfriend is in the Upper Ring isn't she?" Iroh asked and Zuko blushed slightly.

"Sounds good," He said before he left the teashop and he grabbed a falling Appa poster, he then climbed onto the roof of the teashop to see dozens of posters falling from the sky and Zuko saw Flame and Daisuke fly past him. Back at the Gaang's house Katara and Sokka were playing Pai-Sho while Toph and Aang were laying on the ground lazily as Daisuke walked inside.

"I just finished dropping the posters, any news yet" She asked everyone.

"No, it's only been a day, just be patient," Katara said and there was a knock on the door.

"Wow that was fast," Aang said running towards the door and he opened it and his eyes widened. "Joo Dee?" He asked making everyone look at Joo Dee.

"Hello, Aang, and Katara, and Sokka, Daisuke and Toph," Joo Dee said to them.

"What happened to you? Did the Dai Li throw you in jail?" Sokka asked her.

"What jail? The Dai Li are the protectors of our cultural heritage," Joo Dee said.

"But you disappeared at the Earth King's party," Toph said to her.

"Oh, I simply took a short vacation to Lake Laogai, out in the country. It was quite relaxing," Joo Dee said.

"But then they replaced you with some other woman who also said her name was Joo Dee," Katara said.

"I'm Joo Dee," Joo Dee said surprised.

"Am I missing something?" Daisuke asked scratching her head.

"Why are you here?" Aang asked Joo Dee.

"Dropping fliers and putting up posters isn't permitted within the city. Not without proper clearance," Joo Dee told the gaang.

"We don't have time to wait for clearance," Daisuke told her.

"You are absolutely forbidden by the rules of the city to continue putting up posters." Joo Dee said as Aang went red in the face and he took a deep breath in.

"We don't care about the rules and we're not asking permission! We're finding Appa on our own and you should just stay out of our way!" He shouted angrily before he slammed the door in Joo Dee's face.

"That's gonna bite us in the butt," Daisuke said.

"I don't care, from now on, we do whatever it takes to save Appa," Aang said.

"Yeah! Let's break some rule!" Toph exclaimed happily as she Earthbent the wall of the house out and nearly hit Flame making him grumble at her as Momo flew out of the hole and two Dai Li agents watched them from across the street. Back at the Royal Palace Long Feng was standing in front of Joo Dee who was on her knees.

"I'm very disappointed in your work with the Avatar and his friends, Joo Dee. I had hoped that you would be able to control this situation," He said to her.

"I am so sorry, but they don't trust me anymore. I don't think I can keep working like this!" She said getting upset.

"Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai," Long Feng said and Joo Dee's pupils dilated.

"I am honoured to accept his invitation," Joo Dee said robotically.

"Good. Now go await further orders," Long Feng told her and Joo Dee left the room and Long Feng stood in front of the fireplace. "If the Avatar keeps searching for his bison, it could upset the delicate balance we've worked so hard to achieve in this city. It could even cost us control of the Earth King," He said.

"Should we take care of him?" a Dai Li agent asked him.

"No, he is too powerful to confront directly, let's see if we can handle this quietly," Long Feng said and the agent nodded his head.

"So, I was thinking about names for my new tea shop. How about the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring to it," Iroh said to Zuko back in their apartment as he packed their stuff.

"The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se, and he's lost his bison," Zuko said showing the flyer to Iroh.

"We have a chance for a new life here. If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us," Iroh said to him as he took the flyer. "What would Daisuke say to you about this?" He asked.

"I don't know, but I want to know my destiny," Zuko said.

"What your destiny is Zuko, is what you choose it to be," Iroh said. "The Tea Weevil!" He exclaimed making Zuko look at him. "No, that's stupid," He said and Zuko nodded. Meanwhile back with the Gaang they were all putting up posters of Appa.

"We'll split up to cover more area. Toph, I guess you should just come with me," Sokka said.

"Why? Because you think I can't put up posters on my own?!" Toph asked angrily as she took a poster and stuck it onto the wall the wrong way around. "It's upside down isnt it, I'll just go with Sokka," Toph said and everyone walked off leaving Daisuke and Flame alone in the square.

"Daisuke," a voice said and Daisuke and Flame turned to see Jet walk out of an alleyway and Daisuke's expression turned to one of outrage and Flame snarled.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" She shouted at Jet who walked towards them.

"I'm here to help you," Jet told her.

"Flame….pin him!" She shouted and Flame did ass he was told and he slammed his claw down onto Jet.

"Daisuke! Wait I've changed!" He shouted at her but Flame snarled and bared his fangs at him.

"Oh really!? Because from what I have seen you're still the same," Daisuke told him.

"What're you talking about?" Jet asked and Daisuke got even angrier at Jet and she grabbed him by his collar and he held him up against a wall and held her hand out and she created a fireball in her hand.

"You know damn well what I am talking about!" She shouted at Jet as the Gaang ran up to them.

"Daisuke, what's wrong?" Toph asked.

"Look who decided to show his face again!" She shouted at them as they looked at Jet. "We can't trust him,"

"But we don't know why he is here," Sokka said to her.

"I'm here to help you find Appa," Jet said as he took out a flyer with Appa on it.

"Daisuke, we have to give him a chance," Aang said to her.

"I swear, I've changed! I was a troubled person and I let my anger get out of control, but I don't even have the gang now! I've put all that behind me!" Jet shouted trying to reason with Daisuke.

"You're lying!" Daisuke shouted at him.

"No he isn't," Toph said as she placed her hand on the wall beside Jet.

"How can you tell?" Katara asked her.

"I can feel his breathing and heartbeat. When people lie, there's a physical reaction. He's telling the truth," Toph explained.

"Are you seriously considering letting this monster help us?" Daisuke asked them.

"Dai, we don't have any other leads, if he says he can help us, let him," Aang told her.

"Fine! But if this is a trick, I'll give you another burn to match the one I already gave you," Daisuke growled letting Jet go. Soon the gaang and Jet were in a warehouse that was empty except for a few bags and tarps.

"He's not here," Aang said.

"If this is a trap," Daisuke said drawing one of her hook blades and looking at Jet angrily.

"I told you, I work nearby! Two guys were talking about some giant furry creature they had, I figured it must be Appa!" Jet said to her.

"He was here, we missed," Aang said picking up a clump of Appa's fur as an old man walked past carrying a broom as he swept the floor.

"They took that big thing yesterday. Shipped him out to some island. About time, I've been cleaning up fur, and various, uhhh ... leavings all day," The man told them.

"Where did they take him?" Aang asked him.

"Foreman said some rich royal type on Whale Tail Island bought him up. Guess for a zoo or such. Though, could be the meat that'd be good," The old man answered him.

"Whale Tail Island, where is it?" Aang asked.

"Far away, it's near the South Pole, almost all the way back home," Sokka said.

"Aang, it will take us weeks just to get to the tip of the Earth Kingdom. And then we'll need to find a boat to get to the island," Katara said to him.

"I don't care. We have a chance to find Appa! We have to try!" Aang said to the gaang.

"You're right Aang, right now our first concern has to be finding Appa. We can come back when we have him," Katara said to him.

"All right, let's get going," Sokka said.

"I will come with you," Jet said.

"No you won't," Daisuke told her.

"Why don't you trust me?" Jet asked.

"Gee I don't know, think really hard you jackass!" Daisuke shouted before she stormed out of the warehouse and the others followed her where they saw Smellerbee and Longshot walk up to them.

"Jet!" Smellerbee exclaimed happily.

"You said you left the gang?!" Daisuke shouted at him.

"I did!" Jet told her as Smellerbee hugged him.

"We were so worried. How did you get away from the Dai Li?" She asked him.

"Dai Li?" Katara asked.

"I don't know what she's talking about!" Jet denied.

"He got arrested by the Dai Li a couple of weeks ago. He attacked some guys in a tea shop and Daisuke got involved and Jet attacked her and scarred her," Smellerbee said making everyone gasp in shock.

"I did no such thing!" Jet shouted as Daisuke moved her hair away from her right eye to reveal a scar making everyone gasp.

"Oh really, then take a look at this, you did it Jet! Now start telling the truth, or Flame is going to have you for a snack!" She snarled at Jet and Flame licked his lips.

"Whoa Daisuke, calm down, both of them are telling the truth," Toph said.

"That makes no sense," Katara said.

"Yes it does, they both think they're telling the truth, Jet's been brainwashed," Sokka said.

"What! No I haven't!" Jet denied but Daisuke punched him in the face knocking him out.

"Finally, that shut him up, I've had enough of him," She said before she walked off. "Well pick him up," She said and Sokka did so and they all walked off to a building and Jet was sitting in a chair surrounded by everyone.

"He must have been sent here by the Dai Li, and that old guy was in on it to make us leave the city," Aang said.

"I bet they have Appa here in the city. Maybe he's in the same place they took Jet! Where did they take you?" Sokka asked him.

"Nowhere- I don't know," Jet said.

"We need to jog his memories," Aang said.

"I can burn him again," Daisuke said holding her hand by Jet's face and a small flame licked at Jet's skin.

"Daisuke! I know Jet doesn't deserve to be trusted, but control yourself," Katara said to her and Daisuke growled before she reluctantly nodded and removed her hand from Jet's face.

"Then you do something then if my method isnt the right one," She told her and Katara nodded as she bent some water onto her hands and they glowed as she placed her hands onto Jet's head and his mind flooded with memories.

"They took me underground, under a lake!" Jet exclaimed.

"Wait! Didn't Joo Dee she went to…" Sokka snapped his fingers trying to remember.

"Lake Laogai," Toph said.

"That's it! Lake Laogai!" Jet said. Soon the group were all standing on the shore of the lake.

"Where is the base?" Sokka asked.

"It's under the water," Jet answered.

"There is a tunnel over there," Toph said whistling as she walked to the water's edge and Earthbent a platform that had a hatch on it. Everyone except Flame climbed down the hatch and found themselves in a dimly lit corridor.

"It's all coming back to me," Jet said as they passed a room that had several women standing there in front of a Dai Li Agent.

"I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se," The agent said.

"I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se," The women repeated.

"We're so lucky to have our walls to create order." The agent said.

"We're so lucky to have our walls to create order." The women repeated.

"This is creepy," Daisuke said.

"There is a room big enough to hold Appa down there," Jet said pointing down a corridor. Meanwhile with Appa he was chained up in a room and the door opened and The Blue Spirit also known as Zuko walked inside.

"Expecting someone else?" He asked and Appa growled at him. The gaang walked into a large room and saw Long Feng and several Dai Li.

"That's new," Sokka said sarcastically.

"You are enemies of the state, take them into custody," Long Feng said and the Dai Li charged the gaang.

"Finally, some action!" Daisuke shouted as she sent and ring of fire at the Dai Li. Two rock gloves flew towards her but Toph destroyed them before sending the two agents flying into the air with two rock pillars. Jet drew his swords and charged a Dai Li agent who sent a rock glove at him but he destroyed it with his swords, Sokka and Katara fought some more but two rock gloves grabbed them but Toph saved them as Long Feng started to retreat.

"Hey, he's getting away!" Daisuke shouted as she looked at her satchel and saw four grenades left. "It'll have to do," She said before she lit on fuse and put it back in the satchel and threw it at the Dai Li and it exploded in a massive inferno and Daisuke, Jet and Aang ran after Long Feng and cornered him in another room.

"All right, Avatar, you've caused me enough problems. This is your last chance ... if you want your bison back," Long Feng told Aang as he blocked the entrance off with Earthbending.

"You do have Appa, where is he!?" Aang shouted at him.

"Agree to leave the city, and I will drop all charges against you, and allow you to leave with your dumb animal," Long Feng said.

"You're in no position to argue," Daisuke told him.

"Oh aren't I?" He asked her.

"No you're not," Jet told him.

"Jet, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai," Long Feng said as Jet's iris dilated.

"I am honoured to accept his invitation," Jet said as he turned on Aang and Daisuke.

"You're mine now," Zuko said to Appa as the door opened and Iroh walked through. "Uncle?" He asked.

"So, the Blue Spirit. I wonder who could be behind that mask ..." Iroh said as Zuko removed his mask.

"What are you doing here?" He asked his uncle.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. What do you plan to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep him locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" Iroh asked.

"First I have to get him out," Zuko said.

"And then what!? You never think these things through!" Iroh shouted as he pointed at Zuko. "This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole! You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would have figured something out!" Zuko shouted at him.

"No! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death!" Iroh scolded Zuko. "Tell me why you do these things!?" He demanded.

"I…I…I don't know alright! My destiny I guess!" Zuko shouted.

"Is it your destiny? Or someone else's that has been forced upon you! What would Daisuke think of you if she saw you doing this!?" Iroh shouted.

"I don't know! I love her! But a small part of me wants to capture the Avatar still! What do I do! What my heart tells me! Or what my father told me to do!?" Zuko shouted holding his head.

"Zuko, who has shown you more love? Your father or Daisuke?" Iroh asked and Zuko looked at him and then at Appa before he took out one of his swords and he cuts the chains holding Appa.

"Come on, we're getting you back to the Avatar," Zuko told the bison who licked him.

"Jet stop this!" Aang shouted as he ducked under a swipe from Jet.

"Finish them Jet!" Long Feng commanded as Daisuke clashed swords with Jet.

"I can't believe I am saying this….Jet, this isn't you. You're a Freedom Fighter!" She shouted at Jet who gasped as he held his head as his memories came rushing back and he shook his head.

"Finish her!" Long Feng shouted but Jet threw one of his swords at him and he missed but Long Feng Earthbent a pillar at Jet hitting him in the chest before he ran off. "You've sealed your fate!" he shouted as the rest of the gaang appeared and they all were in shock at what they saw as Katara ran up to Jet and tried to heal him.

"This isnt good," She said.

"Guys go, and get out of here, we came across Appa's cell it's empty," Smellerbee told them.

"Long Feng beat us to him, we need to leave," Aang said.

"We can't leave Jet," Katara said.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Jet said to her before he looked at Daisuke. "Hey Dai, no hard feelings right?" He asked and she looked at him.

"Right, it was an honour to know you Jet," She said before she ran off quickly and the others were reluctant to follow.

"There's no time. Just go. We'll take care of him. He's our leader" Longshot said shocking the gaang but they nodded and ran after Daisuke while Smellerbee cried over Jet and Longshot readied an arrow in case. The gaang got back onto the beach and several Dai Li agents surrounded them.

"Think we can outrun them?" Sokka asked.

"It won't matter," Aang said as Long Feng and other Dai Li agents Earthbent a wall in front of them and the other Dai Li boxed them in. Momo then chattered frantically.

"Momo?" Daisuke asked as Momo flew into the air and a roar was heard and Zuko who was wearing the Blue Spirit mask again and Appa flew down to them.

"Appa!" Aang shouted happily as the bison smashed the earth walls scattering the Dai Li and Toph and Aang Earthbent the rest of the Dai Li into the water.

"I can handle you myself," Long Feng said charging at Appa but he grabbed his leg and threw him across the lake like a skipping stone before Appa spat out his shoe and Zuko jumped down from the bison and he walked off but he was stopped by Daisuke.

"Thanks…Blue Spirit," She whispered to him and he nodded before he ran off before the others could ask him.

"Alright Appa!" Sokka cheered as Aang hugged Appa's head.

"I missed you buddy," Aang said crying as Appa growled softly returning the feelings to Aang.

The end of the chapter

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