Chapter 1
"LAST CALL FOR BA SING SE!"
Kyzumi pulled her hood further down her head as she hurried onto the ferry. It was no easy task as there were hordes of passengers scurrying to get on the ferry as well. Luckily, she managed to get on board the ferry in one piece and with all her stuff. Which wasn't much since all she had was in her leather knapsack. Kyzumi gripped the railing of the ferry as the ferry started to depart from the dock. She didn't want to lose her balance while the ferry started moving and risk getting trampled by some other passengers.
The ferry pulled out of Full Moon Bay and began its journey across the great expanse of the East Lake. Kyzumi let go of the breath she was holding on to. There's no need to worry anymore, she thought. I'm going to be okay...someday.
Kyzumi mentally shook herself and decided she needed a distraction. So she made her way to the stern of the boat, where it was not nearly as crowded as the bow of the ferry. She quietly occupied a space beside the railing. Kyzumi carefully leaned herself against the railing and looked at the sparkling water tinged orange by the sunset. She looked at her reflection in the water. Her pale olive face and cerulean blue eyes mixed with flecks of gold stared back at her. She took a deep breath and made sure no one was watching her. Not that it mattered, she just didn't want any interruptions. Kyzumi started to bend the water from the lake. She twisted the water into different forms. She created a small whirlpool. She even practiced her water whip. Kyzumi became distracted enough that she didn't notice that somebody was watching her.
"Nice waterbending there," said a male voice.
Startled, Kyzumi dropped the water she was bending back into the lake and spun around to face the voice. She was met with a boy who looked to be around her age. A piece of straw dangled from his smirking lips. He clearly looked amused to have caught the waterbender off guard.
"You know, it's not smart to sneak up on a waterbender bending water. You could've gotten ice needles in that mug of yours," replied Kyzumi.
The boy's smirk just widened. "I would have loved to see you try. But you're probably too sweet of a girl to attack first and ask questions later."
"Was that a compliment or an insult?"
"You take it however you choose, sweetheart. It doesn't really matter to me."
Kyzumi just rolled her eyes at the boy's words. She went back to her bending, knowing full well that he was still watching her. After a few moments of her bending water like no one was there, the boy finally spoke up.
"The name's Jet," he said.
Kyzumi remained quiet and continued her waterbending.
Jet didn't remain quiet though. "You got a name by any chance?"
"Nope. Don't have a name. I was born and left unnamed," said Kyzumi sarcastically.
"Interesting. So you aren't so sweet after all. What's it gonna take to get a name from you?"
Kyzumi just ignored Jet and continued to bend the lakewater. She thought he would leave after that, but he didn't. He simply watched her waterbend for a while until he noticed that her sleeves had rolled up.
"The Fire Nation hurt you too, huh," he stated.
Kyzumi snapped her eyes up to Jet's, only to see what he was staring at. The burns on her arms. They were a few months old but it seemed like only a few days ago she was running from the Fire Nation's military. She was too busy running that it didn't strike her mind at the time to heal her then fresh wounds. Strangely enough, the burns were the least painful part of the memory.
"Who hasn't the Fire Nation hurt? Being hurt by the Fire Nation doesn't make a person special," said Kyzumi.
"Never said it did. But it does unite us in some sad way. Wouldn't you say so?" asked Jet.
"Perhaps it does."
Jet stayed quiet for a bit. Then he took in a slow breath.
"The Fire Nation burned down my village. They slaughtered everyone, including my parents. I managed to escape with my life. That was 5 years ago. I was only 10 years old."
Kyzumi's hard eyes softened just a fraction. "I'm sorry about your parents."
Jet noticed her softened eyes and gave her a small sad smile. "You don't have to apologize, you know. You didn't kill them."
Kyzumi knew that. But not only was it the polite thing to say, but she truly felt sorry to hear of another casualty by the Fire Nation. How much more blood would the Fire Nation shed in their quest for world domination?
She was about to reply when a bell rang. Kyzumi looked around and noticed that the passengers were filing their way inside the ferry. She looked at Jet for an explanation.
"C'mon. It must be time for dinner. Let's see what they got in store for us," he said as he started to follow the crowd of passengers.
Dinner was underwhelming, to say the least. All the passengers were served scraps and leftovers. Kyzumi wasn't even sure the food could be called that. It was all so unappetizing. She was starving but she was sure that whatever of this mess they called food would come back up her throat if she dared to swallow it. Kyzumi looked over at Jet's face to see his reaction. Jet was looking at his bowl with a look of disgust and contempt. He threw his bowl overboard and stalked off in anger.
Kyzumi just watched as Jet stalked off and put her own bowl down on the floor. She decided to just find a bedroll and get some sleep. Her empty stomach protested at her movements but Kyzumi still pushed herself to her feet and started walking to where some passengers had set up some bedrolls. There were no spare bedrolls for her to use as it seemed everyone brought their own. Kyzumi found an empty spot on the floor and sat down. She used her knapsack as a pillow and lay down on the cold floor. Seconds later, her eyes had closed and she was fast asleep.
Kyzumi was shaken awake a few hours later. When she opened her eyes, she ended up staring into Jet's deep brown eyes. She looked to the sky and saw the moon was full. She looked back to Jet's face and noticed how the moonlight made his eyes look lighter than they actually were. She shook herself from her thoughts and sat up. Jet scooted back to give her some space.
"What's going on? Why'd you wake me up?" asked Kyzumi.
Jet smiled. "I made a few friends aboard the ferry."
Kyzumi looked at Jet with annoyance. "Okay, why did you wake me up then?"
"As it turns out, that disgusting slop we were given for dinner isn't really the only food on this ferry. According to my new friends, the captain is keeping the good stuff for himself and his personal crew while we get his...leftovers if they can be even called that."
Kyzumi's nostrils flared in anger. "That selfish pig! What are you going to do?"
"Well, we are going to pull a heist. These refugees don't deserve that garbage they got for dinner."
"Who's we?"
"You, me, Smellerbee, Duke, and Longshot."
"Are they your new friends?
"They sure are. You in?"
Kyzumi pondered over it for a moment. Then she nodded.
Jet smiled warmly at Kyzumi. "Great! Come with me. I'll introduce you to our partners-in-crime."
Kyzumi followed Jet back to the stern of the ferry. There waited a short girl with short hair, a large man, and a skinny but tall boy with a straw hat on his head.
The girl spoke up. "Hey Jet. Is this the waterbender you were talking about?"
"She sure is, Smellerbee. She's agreed to help with the heist. Duke, is there anybody guarding the door to the kitchen?" Jet asked.
The large man nodded. "Yup. There are a few crew members guarding the door when I last checked. And there isn't any way into the kitchen other than that door. What's the plan, Jet?"
"Alright, here's the plan. Duke, you and Smellerbee are going to distract the crew so they leave their position from in front of the kitchen. Longshot, the waterbender, and I are going to sneak in and get as much food as we can carry out of the kitchen. We may have to make a few trips to get enough food for all the passengers. So make sure you and Smellerbee keep the crew distracted long enough so we can do that. Smellerbee, you know which signal to give when it's clear and which signal to give if someone starts coming back to the kitchen?"
Smellerbee nodded. "Uh-huh. I know the signals. Now let's get a move on. Before it's too late."
The group split up. Duke and Smellerbee went one way while Kyzumi, Jet and Longshot went the other way. The trio waited patiently for the signal. Soon enough, a two-tone whistle split the air.
"That's our signal," whispered Jet.
Jet led Longshot and Kyzumi down to the kitchen door. When Jet went to open it though, he found it locked.
Kyzumi gently moved Jet to the side. "Allow me."
Kyzumi bent some lakewater from over the railing towards her and used it to slice through the lock on the door. It worked without a hitch. The trio piled into the kitchen and laid their eyes upon a treasure trove of food. The captain must've planned on feasting well tonight. Unfortunately for him, though, Jet's anger wouldn't let that happen. Neither was Kyzumi's, to be completely honest.
The trio made two trips undetected to and from the kitchen with loads of food. On the third trip, a three-tone whistle split the air and they scrambled for hiding spots in the kitchen. Two crew members walked in to find most of the food missing. They headed for the door, probably to alert the captain of the thievery. Kyzumi quickly emerged from the shadows and bent the dirty water from the many buckets on the kitchen floor towards the two crew members and whipped the water at their heads, knocking them out cold. Jet and Longshot watched as they fell to the ground with a thud. Kyzumi then gestured to them to help her move the unconscious crew to somewhere less conspicuous. Once they were moved to the corner of the kitchen, Kyzumi bent the water on the floor into the mouths of the crew members to work as temporary ice gags. No need for them to start screaming for help once they woke up from their nap.
Jet looked at Kyzumi with an impressed look on his face."I knew it was a good idea to let you in on this little heist."
Jet, Kyzumi, and Longshot made their way back with the last of their bounty. Smellerbee and Duke made it back soon after. They distributed the food amongst the rest of the passengers, who were more than grateful to have something much more tolerable than their slop of dinner in their stomachs.
Once everyone had eaten and gone to sleep, Kyzumi quietly got up from the bedroll one of the grateful passengers had let her use and headed to the bow of the ferry. She rolled up her sleeves and gazed at the reminder of her pain and loss. She didn't seem to be the only one who couldn't sleep though.
"Can't sleep, huh," said Jet.
Kyzumi turned and looked at Jet, then stared back at the burns on her arms.
"You know, you shouldn't be ashamed of those burns. They weren't your fault," Jet said.
Kyzumi sighed. "It's not the burns I'm ashamed of. It's what they remind me of that brings me shame. Not to mention sorrow."
"What do they remind you of?"
"They remind me of the lives I couldn't save. My parents' lives. They died at the hands of the Fire Nation. Just like your parents."
Jet smiled sadly at Kyzumi. He understood the feeling of powerlessness that Kyzumi must have felt when her parents died.
"Wherever they are, they must be glad to know that you're here. Alive and well. Do you know what I also think? I think we'll both be okay in the end," said Jet.
Kyzumi looked at the reassuring smile on Jet's face. She felt something soften within her.
"Kyzumi," she said.
"Pardon?" asked Jet.
"My name. It's Kyzumi."
Jet smiled. "Well, Kyzumi, would you mind having a new friend once we reach Ba Sing Se?'
"I haven't had a friend in a while."
"All the more reason to make a new one.
Kyzumi smiled. Yes, I think I may be okay after all.