Chapter Thirteen

Jet

Zuko turned the map over in his hands, thinking that perhaps he'd been reading it upside down. He turned it over again, he had been right the first time. Zuko's stomach growled. He remembered his uncle's words at their staged battle, You never think things through.

The man had a point, Zuko had to admit. While he had thought of most things, such as how to get his Uncle onto Zhao's ship, and where to rendezvous and when, he had overlooked one of the most basic points of life: You eat or you die. He had not brought any food. He had money, sure, but he couldn't eat coins. He would be able to buy food, or perhaps forage for some, but as of now he had very nonexistent luck. He was sure that Azula would've found a roast dinner in the woods somewhere. She was born lucky, and he had been lucky to be born.

Zuko reached up and rubbed the crown of his head where his phoenix tail had been a few days ago. He had cut and burned it, so that he might be less recognizable as he traveled through the colonies and smaller Earth Kingdom villages to reach the rendezvous. He knew it was a necessary precaution, but he still hadn't relished the idea.

He returned his attention to the map. He had taken his ship quite a way south from the Ilah colony, to put more distance between him and the larger units of the Fire Nation military. He would skirt around the eastern edge of Fire Nation territory, and avoid the major conflict zones further east. The route he and his uncle had planned was relatively safe for travelers, especially well armed firebenders. Earth Kingdom patrols he might encounter would take him as a refugee and leave him alone, and any Fire Nation forces would let him pass when he showed his bending. Provided of course that they didn't recognize him.

He turned his attention to the mountains and tried to triangulate his position. He should be somewhere near a village called Gaipan. It was under Fire Nation control, or at least that was what the reports had said before his banishment. Afterwards he hadn't been privy to military communications. All the same, he should be able to acquire food and maybe an ostrich-horse there, no matter who held the village. All he had to do was get there.

Zuko guessed he was around a day's walk from Gaipan. He was far more proficient with navigating at sea than overland. He had gotten a lot of practice during his banishment. Perhaps he should've asked Uncle to teach him more about navigation. Zuko had hardly paid attention to his uncle's lesson on anything other than firebending, and he regretted it now. When they were together again, Zuko decided to be more appreciative for his uncle than he had been in the last years.

Zuko shouldered his pack and resumed walking. The path was winding, and it crossed over a few too many hills. Still, Zuko was glad to have a path to walk. He had spent much of the first two days bushwacking towards this path in his efforts to avoid Azula and Zhao's men. At the end of the second day he finally managed to reach it and avoid any pursuers, and when he finally found the trail he had searched for he nearly collapsed with delight, and exhaustion. Now he trudged along as best he could, well aware of how hungry he was. Fortunately he'd remembered to bring a waterskin, and he had refilled it that morning.

A beautiful forest of red canopied trees surrounded him, their alternating white and brown trunks stretching out into the distance. A soft breeze rushed over his scalp and he took pleasure in it, warming himself with a breath. Days like this made him glad he was a firebender. Nonbenders and those who bent earth or water would have to rely on clothing to keep warm. Despite his ability to warm himself, it had limits. He could not spend too long outdoors in cold weather without exhausting himself. He was glad now too that his uncle had insisted on warm clothes for the journey. Warming himself occasionally was about all he could muster at the moment. Without a meal he would freeze if not for his insulated clothing.

Zuko drew his swords and scanned the forest on either side of him. He had heard something. Maybe it was an animal, maybe a bird. Or maybe, it was an enemy. Zuko didn't know, but he was sure that he wasn't about to be caught unaware by random bandits in the middle of nowhere.

"Show yourself!" He shouted, glaring into the trees. He wasn't sure if there actually was anyone out there, but his life had not been an easy one. He learned through long suffering not to take chances.

"Allright." Said a voice to his left. Zuko turned to see a young man around his own age leap down from a tree, a hooked sword in each hand. He had shaggy dark hair and tan skin. A wheat stalk was held between his teeth. Zuko eyed him for a moment before scanning the canopy for others. He spotted a few more, and cursed himself for not looking up. It was a tactic he had taken advantage of several times himself; people never looked up.

"The name's Jet, and these are my freedom fighters." At his words the youths leapt down from the canopy to join them. "Longshot," He pointed to a tall boy with a bow and a very large nose. "Smellerbee." He pointed to a waifish girl with face paint and even shaggier hair than Jet.

"And this is Pipsqueak and The Duke." He jerked a thumb towards a very large man and a small boy in a helmet. Jet slung his swords across his back and put his hand on his hips. He looked at Zuko expectantly. Zuko sheathed his broadswords and continued walking.

"Do you have a name?" Jet asked.

"Lee." Zuko said without looking back. His stomach gave another cry of hunger and Jet smiled. He walked beside Zuko for a few paces and the banished prince stopped. "What do you want?"

Zuko doubted that Jet and his 'Freedom Fighters' wanted to harm him. Their body language hadn't expressed any imminent violence, and they had lowered their weapons. Nonetheless, Zuko wasn't exactly willing to have a group of strange children and one massive adult following him around.

"Nothing." Jet said with a shrug. You just seemed hungry. And it's getting dark." Zuko was hesitant to accept handouts, and there was something about Jet that didn't sit right with him. Still, this was his fourth day without food. He could swallow his pride to soothe his hunger, at least for a night.

"Our hideout isn't far. Come on, a hot meal and a warm bed, and you can be back on your way by morning." Jet said, before turning towards the trees again. Zuko hesitated for a second, and then followed. He couldn't capture the Avatar if he was half starved, could he?

Zuko and the Freedom Fighters walked through the forest for roughly an hour. Eventually, Jet spoke to him again.

"So Lee," Je said casually. "I take it you've had a run in with the Fire Nation."

"What makes you say that?"

Jet chuckled. "A guy my age traveling by himself so close to the front? You know how to use those swords of yours, and then there's that scar."

Zuko nodded. "You could say that."

"Most of us have lost someone to the Fire Nation. Longshot's village was burned down in a Fire Nation raid. Smellerbee's home was seized by the Fire Nation. My parents were killed right in front of me. I was only eight years old."

Zuko kept his eyes forward. It wasn't easy to hear from those his nation had harmed so greatly. Now they were helping him. Him, whose family was directly responsible for the hardships and tragedies that they had suffered through their lives. And for what? He had always been told that the war was to share the Fire Nation's greatness with the world. He had heard tell of the horrors of war, but only from veterans speaking of battles they had fought. He hadn't known, hadn't realized how much his ancestors had harmed everyday people.

"I'm sorry." He said at last. Jet shook his head. "It's not your fault. It was a long time ago."

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Jet spoke again. "We've been harrying the Fire Nation troops that have been attacking towns and villages in the area. Stealing food, maps, equipment. It's hard to destroy homes if you can't find them, right?"

Zuko stiffened. They had been fighting Fire Nation troops? From the sound of it they hadn't killed anyone. They just made things more difficult for them. Zuko once would have refused to believe that there were troops harassing and attacking villages at random. He would have liked to think that his country was more honorable than that, but he had been dispelled of that notion when War Minister Qin had suggested sacrificing new recruits as a distraction.

"Anyway, we intercepted a message. The Fire Nation is planning to burn down the forest, but I came up with a plan to stop them." Jet said. "But more on that later. We're here."

Zuko looked around, but he didn't see anything. He looked up into the trees and was amazed to see a network of camouflaged treehouses and walkways. Jet whistled a bird call and a number of footholds on ropes were lowered from the branches. The Freedom Fighters took hold of them and were whisked of and into the trees. In a moment the only people remaining on the ground were Jet and Zuko.

"Alright Lee, just put a foot into the stirrup and hold on tight. You'll be topside in no time." With that the leader of the rebel band stepped onto his own rope, and was hoisted into the air. Zuko watched him go, and grumbled to himself. He hardly needed it to be explained to him; it was a rather simple process. Zuko forced himself to let his anger go. He really needed to relax, for he didn't like being angry all the time. He stepped into the stirrup. He waited, but nothing happened. He gave it a tug, thinking perhaps it was broken. He was about to step off and climb the tree manually, but as soon as his grip slackened the rope jerked skyward, bringing him ungracefully with it. The rope came to a sudden stop, and Zuko flew into the air a few feet before landing painfully on his stomach.

"Sorry about that." Said Smellerbee, blushing slightly and rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "Sometimes they stick and when they get moving they really move."

"It's fine." Zuko said as he rose to his feet. He checked to ensure he had all of his possessions and that his pack was secured properly. Everything was in order, and Zuko adjusted the dagger his uncle had given him. Once he was sure that everything was tucked safely in place, he straightened up again. Zuko scanned his surroundings.

The Freedom Fighters had built their base in the forest canopy, around a hundred feet above the ground. Hut of varying shapes and sizes were supported in the trees, and they were connected by a series of walkways and rope bridges. Zuko could see even more people than he had originally. It seemed that Jet had around forty teens and young adults working under him. It was rather impressive actually, for a kid his age to bring together a force cohesive enough to establish this hideout.

Jet waved a hand for Zuko to follow him, and he did. The two of them walked along a narrow bridge, and stopped at a smaller hut. When they did so Jet held open a curtain for Zuko to walk through.

"This is where you'll be sleeping." Jet said as he followed Zuko inside. It was a small one roomed building, and the trunk of the tree made up one wall. A narrow bed that was reminiscent of the racks that soldiers slept on while at sea. Zuko was glad to have someplace warm to sleep for the night, even if it was somewhat sparse. He turned to Jet and bowed. "Thank you for your generosity."

Jet smiled and waved him off. "Think nothing of it. There's a war going on, we've got to help each other, right?"

Zuko hesitated before agreeing with the man. "Yeah, I suppose so."

Jet grinned. "Dinner's nearly ready. I'll show you around until then."

The two young men walked around the hideout for a while, Zuko remaining mostly silent while Jet talked. He decided that he rather liked this fellow, or he would if he wasn't so vehemently against the Fire Nation. Not that his reasons weren't fair; but Zuko loved his country, flaws and all.

Eventually the food was finished. Zuko's stomach gave a growl at the sound of the dinner bell. Jet laughed and ushered Zuko to the dining platform, where the rest of the Freedom Fighters were already assembled. When they arrived, the rebels cheered and raised their cups.

"Tomorrow we are going to prevent the Fire Nation from burning down this forest, and protect the villages from their wrath!" Jet said, and again his men cheered. Zuko tuned them out. He didn't care for Jet's tirade against the Fire Nation; he had heard enough of it through the course of the day. He eyed the food eagerly. Roasted duck, soups, and was that… yes it was, mashed potatoes. It was an Earth Kingdom dish, and so he hadn't been able to enjoy it very often, but Zuko secretly loved those root vegetables. They were so versatile, you could put them in anything! You could…

"Right Lee?"

Zuko blinked, he hadn't been paying attention. He was so absorbed by his own hunger that he had absolutely ignored everything Jet had said. Zuko blinked, and panicked for a second. "Uh, yes! Absolutely!"

"That's great! With you on our side we'll be able to grab all of their blasting jelly in seconds!"

Zuko nearly jumped out of his skin. He had agreed to what now?

"Let's eat!" Jet said and he sat beside Zuko. He leaned over and said, "I'll explain the plan. There's a Fire Nation camp not far from here. They're part of the mission to burn down the forest, but they're also the solution. There's a reservoir near the top of the valley, and it's nearly full. By tomorrow night it will be, and that's the time that the fire is going to be set. We're going to rig the dam to blow, and when the fire is started we'll blow it, dousing the flames."

Zuko looked at him warily. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You, me, Sneers, Longshot, and Smellerbee are going to raid the Fire Nation camp tonight and steal their munitions. Hopefully we'll be able to get in and out undetected, and since the explosives are meant to go off during the fire they'll never notice that they're gone."

Zuko nodded slowly. He had already agreed to help, although he hadn't been listening to what they were saying at the time. Still, honor dictated that he followed his word, and since they didn't plan on harming the soldiers, he felt that he could help. Zuko pulled a plate of food towards himself.

"When?" He asked, before devouring the food like a teenager who hadn't eaten in four days.

"An hour after midnight. That's an hour before the watch changes and they'll have dropped their guard." Jet said, and Zuko nodded again. He didn't like the idea of acting against his military, but he liked the idea of burning down a forest and killing civilians far less.

He and Jet didn't share any more words thuntil Zuko was awoken for the raid. He would normally have chosen to stay awake until the mission was complete, but he decided to sleep beforehand. He had had a rather exhausting week, and he needed the rest. When the curtain of his hut was opened, Zuko's eyes snapped open and he leapt to his feet, swords drawn.

Jet looked at him with a crooked smile. "Take it easy, Lee. I'm not your enemy."

Zuko grunted and sheathed his weapons. He followed Jet to where the others stood waiting. Once they were all together the small group donned dark clothes and cloaks. Zuko rather liked his, it was warm and served to hide his scar rather well. He thought he might keep it if Jet didn't ask for it back. It would be useful on his journey.

Jet waved his hand in a complicated set of signals, and a larger group of older rebels came out of the huts carrying nets and rope. Zuko stiffened and put his hand on his swords. "They're going to haul the explosive up once we liberate them. They won't be on the ground. Only the fastest of us will be down there"

"Why use signals then? We're still in your hideout." Zuko said, relaxing at the explanation.

"To mess with you a little."

Zuko glared at Jet. That was completely pointless, there was no need for it. He didn't bother to say as much, he decided that once this mission was over he would leave. He could make it across the valley in a day, to Gaipan and out of danger.

The two teams crossed the forest far more quickly through the trees than Zuko would have guessed. Within minutes they had come to the target, and now hovered above it. They waited for Jet to give the signal, another birdcall different from the ones he had used earlier. The ground team descended silently across the zipline that Longshot had shot into the trunk of a tree adjacent to the munitions tent. Jet stepped forward to rush to the tent but Zuko flung out an arm to stop him. Jet looked at him but Zuko held up a hand and shook his head.

Moments later a pair of soldiers walked into view carrying a lantern. Jet smiled when he saw that Zuko had stopped him from entering their line of sight, and when the soldiers passed he ran forwards again with Zuko on his heels. The two of them worked seamlessly together, and the plan went off without a hitch. Longshot stood guard while Smellerbee and Sneers worked as a team in tandem with Jet and Zuko, rolling and stacking casks of munition into the nets and tugging the ropes to give the signal for them to be brought up.

When the task was finished, the ground team grabbed onto the last of the ropes and were hauled up as well. The journey back to the hideout was slower than the trip to the target, but they still made it within an hour. Once they had returned, the net team began loading the munitions into wagons. Zuko returned to his hut and collected his things. He turned to the entrance and found Jet waiting for him, leaning against the door frame.

"You're leaving?" Jet said, asking the obvious question.

Zuko pushed past him. "Yes."

"That's too bad. You're a good teammate. You'd make a good Freedom Fighter." Jet said, following him. Zuko smiled at the irony. A leader of a band of rebels asking the son if the firelord to join him.

"Maybe, but I have somewhere to be. I've got to meet my uncle in the north. If I leave now I can make it out of the valley before nightfall." Zuko said, heading east towards the path he had been traveling on.

"Well, if you won't change your mind, I'll take you back to the road." Jet said, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder. Zuko nodded and smiled.

"And don't worry. You can keep the cloak."

Zuko reached the town of Gaipan a few hours after midday, and frowned. He shouldn't have made it to the settlement so soon, and he could see a wide and shallow river passing between him and the town. Had he misjudged the distance? He could see that the water had once flowed much deeper than it did right now, and if there had been a drought that would've explained the high water mark. But there hadn't been a drought, no in fact it had rained a few days previous.

A sinking suspicion began to grow within Zuko as he crossed the low bridge and entered the town. A single pair of Fire Nation guards stood at the entrance, and he passed them unchallenged. He walked to a stable and asked to see the owner. Soon enough a fat bald man with a long mustache appeared at the counter.

"I need an ostrich-horse." Zuko said, and he pulled his money bag from within his shirt. "Strong and fast, I need to get to the northeastern coast in a few weeks time."

"Well I have a few that could make the journey," The man said, waving for Zuko to follow him. "We've got Old Gray. He's not old, we just call him that because he's gray like an old man, and then we have Sugar Foot, she's a sweetheart, and the last one is Yinglong, named for the spirit of the rain because he was hatched in a thunderstorm."

As the men spoke he pointed to a pale gray mout, a meek looking light brown ostrich-horse, and a coal black steed with an unusually bright beak. Zuko eyed Yinglong. He looked quick and strong, a powerful beast if ever there was. He pointed to him. "How much?"

"Fifty gold pieces." The man said flatly. Zuko whipped his head towards the man. Fifty? There was no way Zuko was paying that, a normal price was a little more than one.

"Fifty?!" He said indignantly. The man shrugged.

"Before this town was occupied by the Fire Nation," The man said, "My family bred ostrich-horses for the Earth King. He's the last of the line we created for him, so I'm not interested in letting five generations of work go easily. What would my father say if his son, Tun Lao, sold off the great work of our family?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. The man could've said the bird wasn't for sale. "Old Gray then?"

"He's only two, but I don't think you want him. He doesn't have the stamina you might need if you have to run for it." Tun Lao said.

Zuko tried not to let his anger show on his face. The man clearly just wanted to sell him… Sugar Foot. He took a slow breath. "Sugar Foot, then.

"One and Five." The man said with a smile. Zuko handed him the money and Tun Lao brought his new steed over to him. He met the bird's eye and it immediately started to rub its head against his shoulder, cooing softly. Zuko groaned. He decided never to tell his Uncle the name of the bird. The bird was saddled and Zuko bought a bag of feed for her. He looked at the bird.

"You are now called Yoake." He told the bird. She cocked her head and blinked. Zuko closed his eyes. Could anything just be easy?

"Come on, Yoake." He said, and pulled on the reins. The bird refused to budge. He struggled, but the ostrich-horse refused to move. He called her new name several times before he gave up. He sagged and dropped his head.

"Let's go, Sugar Foot." He said in defeat. Sugar Foot squealed in delight, picking him up with her neck and tossing him on her back. Zuko took the reins, flushed with embarrassment. He walked the animal around the town a few times to get used to her, and then dismounted and guided her along behind him.

He purchased food to bring with him on the road, and made his way out of the village. He crested a small hill outside the town and looked out over the valley behind him. He saw the forest he had walked through, the town, the river, and a few miles away from there… was the dam. He could faintly see the outlines of figures moving around it. His heart stopped beating for a moment, then resumed the unending cadence of his life.

Was that the dam the Freedom Fighters were going to destroy? No, Jet said that they were going to put out a fire that the Fire Nation was going to light. But why would the Fire nation burn down the forest that only contained villages in their control?

Zuko grit his teeth. Jet had lied to him. He had to warn the villagers. Zuko urged Sugar foot into a sprint, and they charged into town. They ran through the village and Zuko pulled his mount to a stop. He leapt off and grabbed the first soldier he saw by the front of his uniform. "Where is the commander?! Take me to him at once!"

"Who even are you, kid?" The soldier said, and he tried to push Zuko off of him. He utterly failed to do so, and Zuko threw him to the ground. "Answer me!" He roared.

"I'm right here." Said a deep voice behind him. Zuko spun around and walked towards the man in commander's armor.

"A group of rebels are planning to blow the dam tonight. They're going to destroy this village and anyone nearby. You have to get the civilians to safety!'

"And how do you know this? Who are you?" The commander asked, and a squad of spearmen and firebenders surrounded Zuko.

'It doesn't matter, all that matters is that you can trust me." Zuko said, glaring at the commander.

"Is that so? And why should I?" The commander asked. Zuko grit his teeth. He couldn't reveal his identity to this man, that would defeat the purpose of him traveling alone. He thought for a second.

"I'm Lee, from Yu Dao." He ignited a ball of flame in his palm. He extinguished it quickly, once he was sure that everyone had seen it. "Believe me when I tell you, I have always had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart."

Jet smiled as he surveyed the dam. The charges were nearly set, all that was left was to finish connecting the fuses and…

"Jet!" Roared a familiar voice. Jet turned, and saw Lee coming towards him on the back of an ostrich-horse. Jet shrugged, it looked like Lee had figured out his plan. It didn't matter, he was too late to stop it now. Jet drew his swords as Lee approached.

"You're going to hurt innocent people!" Lee snarled as he leapt from the animal. He had his swords drawn, and the two young men fought furiously. Jet's blades swung left, then right, and then left again, and Lee was there to meet him on every swing. "They're not innocent, they're traitors! They're living with the Fire Nation!"

Lee snarled and kicked Jet's legs out from under him. Jet landed on his hand and flipped away from Lee. The man was good with those blades, very good. Even as Jet thought this, Lee managed to snag one of his swords away from him. He latched the hook of his remaining sword with that of his lost weapon, and spun them around, doubling the space between him and Lee.

"What do you expect them to do, Jet? Leave everything behind? Die?"

"Better to die with honor than to live as a traitor!"

"You know nothing about honor!" Lee screamed. Jet's words seemed to have really gotten to him. "You would see women and children drowned just for the sake of your hatred!"

"It's no less than they deserve!" Jet yelled back. The two of them were at blows again, and now Lee had the advantage. Jet grimaced. They were on the northern side of the river, opposite his Freedom Fighters. He could give the signal to blow the dam now, but he would be swept away along with Lee and Gaipan.

"You call yourself a freedom fighter, but that's just a lie! You're just a killer like the men who took your parents!"

It was Jet's turn to be outraged. He was nothing like the Fire Nation he protected innocents! He didn't hurt them! He didn't rip families apart just for the… But wasn't that what he was doing? Had he become like them somehow? No, Lee was lying, those golden eyes. It was so obvious, how could he have missed it before? Lee was Fire Nation! He must have come to spy on him, to find out where his hideout was!

"Another lie from the Fire Nation!" He roared, redoubling his efforts to fight Lee. "You were sent here to spy on me weren't you?!"

"No you idiot, nobody in the Fire Nation knows who you are!" Lee said. Jet lept into a tree with his hook swords, using them as handholds to swing up from branch to branch. Lee tried to follow him, but Jet kicked him off halfway up the trunk. He reached the top, and an arrow attached to a cable sunk into the wood. He looked down to see Lee getting to his feet.

"Goodbye, Traitor! I hope you can swim!" He called out, and slid across the river on the line.

He could just faintly hear Lee call out after him. "You became a traitor when you decided to kill innocent people!"

Jet snarled as he rushed across the river. When he touched the ground on the opposite side, he saw Lee riding away on his ostrich-horse. He shook his head and cut the line, just in case Lee decided to loop back around and chase after him. Jet climbed to the top of a cliff overlooking the dam, and he gave the signal. Nothing happened. He gave it again, and The Duke leapt from the trees.

"Jet!" He said, pointing to the river. Jet looked, and saw that the explosives had been dismantled. A group of Fire Nation soldiers were on top of the structure, wearing clothes with leaves and branches attached to them. He roared and punched a tree. Lee had been a distraction! While his attention was on the swordsman the enemy had crept along and dismantled the explosives.

"We need to get back to the hideout. Get everyone out and tell them to scatter. We'll meet up at the cave in a week." Jet ordered. The Duke nodded and took off, making birdcalls all the while. Jet groaned and walked through the trees. Longshot and Smellerbee fell in on either side of him.

None of them said anything. Jet couldn't help but think, now that the moment had passed, that maybe Lee was right. Maybe had become like the men that killed his parents.

Zuko sighed in relief as he watched the casks of explosive jelly float past and down the river. He had worried that his plan wouldn't have worked, and the men under Commander Zheng wouldn't be quick enough to sneak past Jet's rebels and dismantle the bombs. Thankfully it had worked, and it only took a few seconds to cut the ropes tying down the barrels and then toss them into the water.

Despite his attempted massacre, Zuko couldn't bring himself to hate Jet. He could empathize with the guy. He could understand how seeing what Jet had seen would twist him so. No, Jet wasn't a bad person really. It was the war that was to blame.

A hundred years of fighting had wreaked havoc on countless families, just like those of the Freedom Fighters. All of the polished veneer of generations of propaganda had been blown away, like leaves in the wind. What was left behind was the ugly truth that the war was wrong. A completely pointless waste of human life and an exercise in the destruction of human dignity.

As Zuko rode past Gaipan and towards the northern horizon, he vowed that the moment he became firelord he would end the war and sue for peace.