As the team finally emerged over ground again the city had turned to semi darkness proving that it was late evening.
That was to their own benefit. No doubt the Dai Li would now be looking for them and they had to find a spot to regroup. Also there was the dead weight of Jet on Zukos back they couldn't just leave behind.
Toph ones again proved to be their greatest asset as they didn't really need to peak around corners to see if the coast was clear. Toph could just tell in which direction to go where there was no people as they moved towards the lower ring.
The place where they felt like they had the greatest likelihood of finding a hiding spot.
Finally they were in the lower ring but faced the question of where to go next. They couldn't go to the fire nation refuge house. It was to much of a risk.
Which sucked because there was no way of knowing if the Dai Li had already attacked that house. The likelihood was sadly pretty great.
Finally they decided if they could find an empty basement or just something, they had to rely on Tophs feet to find something that was empty and they kept running.
Zuko though was starting to buckle under the weight of Jet on his back. Gasping for breath as he tried to keep himself upright.
"Dude just hand him over. I can take him for a while." Sokka said.
"I just… Need a break." Zuko gasped as he finally sat down on the ground and slid Jets heavy body off himself.
Katara took the opportunity to kneel down in front of Jet putting her hands on his face and aimed it upwards. Only to be faced with those same empty unseeing eyes.
Katara tried to wave her hand in front of Jet, but there was no reacting. Like there was nothing going on at all in there. She leaned over to check his breath… He was breathing.
But it was very slow. Barely even making a sound.
"Seriously what happened to Jet?" Sokka asked clearly looking creeped out. It was hard to blame him.
Hopelessly Aang looked up at Sokka. Closing and opening his mouth only for Toph to stand up.
"We've been spotted!" she exclaimed and they all stood up taking stanses.
"Show yourself!" Toph demanded as she pointed at a dark shadow. "I know you are there!"
There was silence. More silence and then finally two figures stepped out.
Two young boys. One looked rather short, with a red bandanna across his forehead and a odd armour around his body.
The other boy was taller. His most prominent feature being a large nose and a straw hat, in his hands though was a bow. The arrow resting on its string ready to fire.
Katara how-ever gasped. "Longshot. Smellerbee."
Zuko was tense. Clearly Katara knew who they were but that didn't help him much.
Then the smaller boy hissed. His eyes growing misty. "What have you done to Jet?" he asked.
No… Wait. That was a female voice. The smaller one was a girl!
"We didn't do anything." Katara promised. "Smellerbee. Please listen."
"Jet…" The girl called Smellerbee swallowed. "JET!" she cried as she came running and fell to her knees grabbing Jet's shirt. "Jet! What happened to you?" she asked. "The Dai Li took you and and… I was so scared. Jet?" she looked up.
Jet's head was dropping down. His eyes were completely empty and he didn't respond.
"Jet… Jet it's me!" Smellerbee cried. "Smellerbee! Jet what happened to you?" she asked as she started to shake him.
"Smellerbee." katara whispered as she put a hand on the girls shoulder making the girl twist around as she sneered and Katara gasped as she stepped back. "I'm sorry I… You have to be quiet." she said. "The Dai Li are still after us."
And Smellerbee gasped. "The Dai Li?" she asked in a whisper. "Did you… Safe him from the Dai Li?"
Katara swallowed as she looked down. "Not exactly."
Smellerbees eyes watered. "What happened to him?" she asked and she turned back to Jet. Reaching up a hand to cup his cheek. "Jet. Jet wake up. Please." she begged.
For all that time the big nosed boy hadn't said a single word as he stood with a bowed head. The straw hat shadowing his face. But his bow was lowered and finally he put it away.
Toph had her eyes closed. Even she could see this was messed up then she looked up. "Ying is on a street three blocks away." she announced making them all look up. "I'll go get him. You guys all stay here." she said as she dashed around the corner.
That left them alone with Smellerbee who had his face buried into Jets shirt as tears fell down her face.
"Who…" Zuko finally asked. "Who are you?" he asked.
Earning Smellerbee's and Longshots attention.
"They are…" Katara hesitated. "They called themselves freedom fighters. A group of orphans who had found together in a forest. Jet was their leader."
"He still is!" Smellerbee exclaimed. "The freedom fighters are not gone! As long as we are alive, so are the freedom fighters. We are a family!"
"Freedom fighters?" Zuko asked. "I assume you mean… fight for freedom against the fire nation."
"What else would it be?" Smellerbee asked annoyed. "Who else would have taken all of our parents!"
Zuko halted then he looked down. Squinting his eyes.
Just then Toph came back with Ying in tow and the man gasped.
"Thank earth I found you." Ying gasped. "Ming… Kulai?" he hopelessly looked around but then Yings face faltered.
"I… I'm sorry." Zuko gasped. "I couldn't find your wife or daughter."
Ying gasped as he shook. "That… That's okay." he said though clearly it wasn't. His voice broke. "I'm sure you did what you could." he had to clasp a hand over his mouth to keep himself from breaking.
"We're not stopping." Aang said. "We're going to find them."
Ying nodded, though tears still found their way through his squinted eyes. "Come this way." he gestured. "I'll take you to where the others are hiding." he gestured with his hand.
The others nodded as Zuko was just about to pull Jet back up as Longshot stepped forward.
"I'll take him." Longshot suddenly said in a stern voice. Those were the first words he had even said and somehow it it made the impact even greater.
"Wait…" Sokka blinked at the big nosed teen. "You can talk!?"
Longshot didn't even give a verbal reply. He just looked challenging at Zuko. Daring Zuko to object.
Zuko didn't, he recognised it when it was a matter of honour and principle and instead he helped Longshot getting Jet unto his own back.
"Quick. This way." Ying whispered and everyone nodded as they followed the young man down the streets of the lower ring of Ba Sing Se.
Ying lead the group to what looked like a run down were house just at the edge of town which was all barred up. Then by stamping a foot in the ground he opened up a tunnel for the group to crawl inside.
Longshot going first with Jet still on his back and Smellerbee darting behind. Katara followed and then Zuko who barely managed to take a step before the familiar presence of his uncle rushed in and pulled him into a hug.
"Ugh" Zuko gasped as the air was squeezed out of him. "Hi Uncle." he smiled a weak smile just as Toph came next and hugged Irohs side.
"Uncle Iroh!" Toph exclaimed and Iroh smiled as he let go of Zuko and padded her on the hair.
"I thank the spirits you're okay." Iroh smiled warmly. "When the Dai Li came for us. I was worried things had gone wrong."
"Well…" Zuko hesitated. "It would be a shame to say it went right."
He turned his head and they all looked towards Jet whom Longshot was carefully letting down on what looked like a big sack of wheat.
"Oh no." Iroh gasped. "That boys inner flame."
"I know." Zuko looked down. "I felt it too."
Iroh closed his eyes and Zuko put a hand on his shoulder.
Katara moved gently towards Jet looking at his empty face as she swallowed.
"You can help him right?" Smellerbee asked.
"I'll try." Katara said as she pulled out some water and let her hands glow then gently touched Jet's tendrils. "Jet… Jet." she spoke in a calm voice. "Can you hear me? Jet."
"Jet please." Smellerbee asked as she moved to his side and grabbed his hand. But it was slack in hers. "Jet…" she swallowed and then moved over as she spoke in a quiet tone almost a whisper. "Kailin." she whispered in his ear. "Kailin wake up. It's me Sascha."
But not even that seemed to wake up the boy who just laid with empty eyes.
"Your real name is Sascha?" Katara asked smellerbee. "That's so pretty."
"I prefer Smellerbee." Smellerbee said. "It's the name Jet gave me when… When." she swallowed. "It's part of becoming a freedom fighter. You leave your old life behind and get a new name. And we're a family." she sniffed. "The Dai Li did this?"
Katara halted then closed her eyes. "I don't know."
Suddenly a shadow came. From the warm aura Katara didn't even have to look to know it was Zuko. "Only partially." Zukos raspy voice spoke. "I'm sorry. This isn't what I meant."
"What happened?" Katara asked as she looked up at Zuko.
Zuko sighed. "We were fighting Long Feng." he said. "Aang, Jet and I." he said. "Then Long Feng… he spoke these words and they were like a trigger. Jet lost control of his own free will and attacked Aang instead on Long Fengs command. It was brain washing plain and simple and then…" Zuko squinted his eyes. "I had to make him stop attacking Aang so… I decided to draw him to me. With this." he held out a hand allowing a flame to erupt.
By the sight of it Smellerbee screamed as she feel backwards. "You're a firebender!" she shouted terrified.
"It… It's okay." Zuko said turning off the flame and tried to take a step forward.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Smellerbee shouted crawling backwards and Zuko halted.
Longshot looked around his eyes narrow. "They are all fire nation." he commented.
"What?" Smellerbee asked and she looked around. She gasped for air and seemed to start to hyper ventilate. "You!" she pointed at Katara. "Why would you bring us here?! To the enemy."
"Smellerbee!" Aang stepped forward. "Look at them. Do they look like soldiers to you? They are refuges! Just like the two of you!"
Smellerbees eyes widened and she looked wide-eyed around at the people who were all looking at them. She was shaking though. It was clear to see.
"I'm so sorry young one." Tien the old woman finally said as she tried. "We didn't mean to scare you. None of us support the war."
Smellerbee's eyes widened.
"And beside… What happened is." Aang swallowed. "After Zuko successfully got Jet's attention. Long Feng got annoyed and… he tried to crush Jet with a boulder. Zuko saved him though… Zuko saved his life. And that's when Jet broke."
"You… You what?" Smellerbee turned to Zuko. "Why?" he asked. "We are the freedom fighters. We fight against the fire nation."
"It was the right thing to do. It's not that complicated." Zuko said. "And… " he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry." he said. "You are the freedom fighters against the fire nation right?" he asked. "I… I want to build a future where that wont be necessary any more. If I can… I don't know."
"Sir." Zhau-Li looked at him.
"I need a moment." Zuko said as he turned around and walked to the other end of the ware house.
Zuko was allowed his space for the next hour as Katara tried to see if she could help Jet and the rest settled in. Discussing their plans.
Of course it wasn't going to last as Iroh finally approached him in his dark corner. "Zuko." Iroh spoke in a quiet respectful voice.
"Hi Uncle." Zuko whispered from where he was laying on the stacks of hay on his side while facing the wall.
Iroh took that as as good of an invitation as he was ever going to get as he sat down by Zukos feet. "How are you Zuko?" he asked.
"I don't know." Zuko whispered. "This is really… really hard." he said.
Iroh remained quiet as he looked at Zuko.
"Those people. They are counting on me. To help them. But… I don't know if I'm cut out for this at all." Zuko rolled around so he could now look towards Iroh. "Uncle… Why me?" he asked. "Now people are talking about me needing to be the next fire lord. It should be you though. Right?" he asked. "You're older and wiser and.."
"Zuko." Iroh sighed deeply. "There is a river of blood at my feet. Crowning me fire lord would mean bringing back that legacy. That's not what we need. We need to go forward, towards something new and beside." he looked at Zuko. "There is someone now. Someone who these people are looking towards. Someone that people out in the world are talking about and looking towards, someone whom is inspiring them to stand up ones more. Someone whom is bringing them hope." he smiled. "I traveled and I heard the stories all ready. I saw how peoples eyes shined again as they spoke of that person. And that person… Isn't me."
Zuko looked at Iroh and then slowly he sat up so they were now sitting next to each other.
"It's you Zuko." Iroh said. "As it should be."
"Why?" Zuko asked. "Why would people be looking to me of all people?" he asked. "I failed so much in the past! I made so many mistakes! And I don't even know what I'm doing." he said. "And even now I tried my best. I really did… And look at where we are. Hiding in a warehouse."
Iroh looked at Zuko then put a hand under his chin and lifted him up. "Zuko. I've known you as a lot of things. A quitter is definitely not one of them. You can't for a moment convince me you are ready to give up now."
"No of course not." Zuko swallowed. "I just…" he sighed deeply. "What if I screw up?"
"Then you stand up and try again. Like you always have done." Iroh said. "And I'll be with you. Understand?"
Zuko nodded. "You've always been with me." he admitted.
Iroh smiled then he glanced down. "Zuko… Your friends are planning to storm the earth kingdom palace tomorrow. Force their way in to see the earth king. I assume you will be joining them."
"I have to." Zuko said.
"Well… I got one last thing for you you might want." Iroh said as he dug into his pocket and found something packed into a cloth. "I still have friends in the fire nation palace. I asked one of them to find this where I hid it in the catacombs and send it to me."
Zuko blinked as he looked at the wrappings in Irohs hand.
"It's not really from me though." Iroh admitted. "It's from Ursa. She always wanted you to have this. When you were ready that is. So she gave it to me for safe keeping so Ozai would never find it."
"Mom?" Zuko asked
Iroh nodded. "It's an heirloom. Passed to Ursa from her mother. And to her mother from her own father."
Zuko halted. His great grandfather? That would mean… Avatar Roku.
Iroh put the bundle in Zukos hands and with shaking hands Zuko unfolded it to be faced with a golden hair piece looking like two flames.
"This is the crown. Meant to be worn by the crown Prince of the fire nation." Iroh said. "Gifted to Avatar Roku as he left on his Avatar journey… By his best friend. Prince Sozin."
Wide-eyed Zuko looked up. "What?"
"Yes. Those two were friends ones long ago. When they were your age." Iroh said. "Before Sozin got his mad idea and before Roku became such a powerful Avatar. They would play, laugh and tell jokes."
Zuko gasped deeply.
"Now this crown symbolises more than the crown prince of the fire nation. Now it symbolises the friendship shared between the Avatar and the fire lord that ones was." Iroh said. "Some says though… That some friendships can transcend lifetimes."
Zuko looked across the warehouse and saw Aang who was resting as he leaned against some of the boxs's.
"Maybe." Zuko said. "It would be nice to think that."
Iroh smiled as he gently took the crown out of Zukos hands and looked up at Zukos head. "May I?" he asked.
Zuko nodded as he bowed over. Allowing Iroh to gently pull his hair back and create the loop which was required to festoon the crown and then Zuko sat back as Iroh looked at him with a smile on his face.
"It suites you. Prince Zuko." Iroh smiled warmly.
Zuko couldn't help but smile in response, a little embarrassed as he could feel a few strains of hair becoming loose at the front. His hair was still kind of to short for this hair style. It would grow though.
That's when Aang decided to approach them. "Erhm hi Zuko." then he halted by the sight of Zuko and he pointed. "Hey that's mine!" he exclaimed pointing at the crown.
Zuko blinked.
"No. Sorry! Rokus. It's Rokus. It used to be mine." Aang corrected himself and then grinned amused. "Where did you get that?"
"My mom." Zuko replied. "She inherited it from her grandfather Avatar Roku. And Uncle got it out of the palace."
"That's neat." Aang smiled.
"I hope it's okay." Zuko said.
"Of course. I mean what would I be using it for?" Aang asked as he waved a hand over his bald head. "Beside that looks way better on you than it would ever do on me! It suites you a lot. Wow! You look super fancy with that." he said tilting his head.
"It used to be the crown worn by the crown Prince." Zuko explained.
"Oh. That's even better. Looks like it found its way home." Aang replied then he frowned. "Where did Roku get it from though? Feels like it was a gift… From someone important. Really important."
"His best friend?" Iroh helped.
"Yeah! That feels right." Aang grinned. "Who would that be."
"Perhaps the crown Prince at the time." Zuko lifted an eyebrow. "Crown Prince Sozin."
Aang blinked. He looked up. "Whaaaaat?" he asked.
"It's not that strange is it?" Zuko asked. "I mean we are friends now right?" he asked. "Didn't Roku say that a mistake made a hundred years ago could be fixed now. But only the two of us could do it. You think maybe… It was the friendship?"
Wide-eyed Aang looked up at Zuko and then. His face turned into a soft smile. "I'd like to think that." he said.
Zuko nodded as he smiled as well. "Thanks for sticking up for me today Aang." he said offering Aang an arm.
Aang though ignored the arm completely and ran straight for Zukos torso for a hug. "Anytime! After all. We're friends." The young airbender grinned as he was hugging Zuko tight.
Amused Zuko shook his head as he returned the hug and sighed deeply. This was madness.
In the other end of the warehouse. Smellerbee was resting her head on Jet's stomach, water flowing from her eyes.
"Remember what you promised." Smellerbee whispered. "You wouldn't tell anybody that you saw me cry." she said. "You stayed up with me… And didn't leave until sunrise. And you really didn't tell anybody. I'll never forget that." she whispered. "We're family Jet… And a family sticks together. To the last."
And then suddenly. Smellerbee felt a light touch on her shoulder making her scream. Wide-eyed she looked up and realized. It was Jet! Jet had lifted his arm to touch her shoulder.
"Jet!" She returned to his face. "Jet can you hear me?" she asked.
Jet didn't react, his eyes looked as empty before. Still though… That arm hadn't been moving on its own. Had he tried to comfort her?
Smellerbee gasped as she turned back to him. "You did hear me" she concluded. "You're in there! I knew you were." she swallowed then she laid down again using his stomach as a pillow. "We'll get you back Jet." she whispered. "It's going to be okay…. It's going to be okay." she whispered.