thanks once again to reviewers for the feedback!

(okay, bear with me. in this chapter, I'll be using some lingo ya'll may not be all to familiar with. Since I'll be referring to the Blue Spirit a lot in this chapter, I'm sure you can figure most of it out. Otherwise, just look up 'ninja' on Wikipedia and you'll see what I mean for the most part.)

please enjoy

I decided to wait for the next day's nightfall, spending most of the time wondering, and more worrying, about Jin. Had she listened to me? Had she run? What if she'd been caught? But then, it didn't keep up appearances to bar people from leaving the city, and Azula had said she wanted to keep things quiet until… Until it was too late for them to run.

I managed to keep to myself, since Azula did not yet deem it the time to force me to actually pitch in. There was of course the possibility she meant to keep me close by to watch me. That much I had to acknowledge but could do little about. Fortunately, I knew how much Azula underestimated me.

As for Mai, our paths didn't cross again. She'd given up on me. I can't say I was at all disappointed about this, though a part of me was wary that she might plant suspicions against me in Azula for revenge.

I couldn't worry about imagined obstacles, however; the real ones were disheartening enough. From my window, I saw Ba Sing Se's great walls and recalled Uncle's stories in the letters he sent back during the attempted siege. He'd spoken of them when we'd entered the city a few weeks ago, but I'd never truly appreciated them until now.

Probably because I'd never thought of them as an obstacle before, and they were a grand one.

I smirked and said to myself, "A flying bison would certainly come in handy now…"

With that thought in mind, an idea on how to conduct my departure entered my mind…

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The mask of the Blue Spirit was gone, no doubt at the bottom of Lake Laogai by now, and my daos were missing as well-I suspected Azula of arranging them to have gone 'missing'. I still had my ceremonial knife that Uncle had sent me from Ba Sing Se many years ago, and I'd managed to procure the black shinobi shozoku and jika-tabi. That much would have to do, but I wanted to cover my face still. I half-heartedly considered making my way to Laogai and retrieving the Blue Spirit oni, but I knew that to be a stupid and reckless route.

Instead, I used a long black cloth to fashion myself a mask, tying the cloth so as to be flexible and allow me to see, but also to obscure my features. My scar had to be hidden as much as possible.

In my room, I waited, being absolutely still and silent. I had done this many times before, and every time I'd been successful. Though the vast city of Ba Sing Se stretched out before me, my confidence didn't waver. If I didn't doubt myself and focused on the goal, victory would come to me. I couldn't think of Azula, of Father's army marching here at this very moment. I couldn't think of Uncle and the stinging burn under my black clothes. I thought only of the layout of the city, the Dai Li patrols, and the land beyond the walls.

There was a full moon out, and the light bothered me. A new moon gave the night a perfect darkness that would have comforted me, but I couldn't wait. I left tonight or never.

When a patch of clouds came and covered the moon, I leapt from my window. I fell story after story, the blank red wall the only thing next to me, impossible to latch onto if I needed it. The shingled roof over a balcony lay below me. I didn't land on it, however; the noise would have been too much. Instead, I grabbed the curved, ornate corner of the awning and swung my legs up. I climbed onto the roof and edged to the wall. The shingles, old and never meant to hold weight like this, wobbled and I thought I heard one crack. But I made it to the wall and used it to hold the bulk of my weight, the shingles seeming to breathe in relief.

The palace was easy enough to leave. With the Earth King gone and no one aware of the coup, there was little reason to have a lot of protection around it. At least, that was how Azula saw it.

Leaving the palace was so easy, and nearly boring, it was almost a relief to reach the city. Ba Sing Se, a sprawling urban area with rooftop on rooftop, with plenty of back alleys and niches, it was perfect for my purposes. I'd learned as much during my nights as the Blue Spirit, and there was a quiet thrill to steal straight across the city in a single night. I flew from building to building, crept among shadows. Forget the Earth King, the Dai Li, and Azula; I owned this city.

---------------

It took the entire night to cut across the city on foot and with stealth, but the energy flowing through me kept me far from any fatigue. I was nearly out, and in a moment the gates of Ba Sing Se would open and I would be free.

There was a menagerie just outside the city walls, and it had become very popular. People said it had been created by the Avatar. I sneered at the idea. He's the Avatar and he spends his time helping poor zookeepers? Ludicrous.

The walls opened in the early morning, before the sun rose, so feed for the animals could be brought in. The cart of feed arrived at the gates as it always did. The gates opened for it, as they always did. The cart moved through the open gates, the routine perfectly succinct. There was only one small difference this morning; the cart was just a little heavier than usual. The reason being that I was clinging to the bottom of it.

I held on through the gates, feeling a wave of victory once I was past the walls. I waited until the cart was stopped by a patch of shrubs, when I rolled out from under the cart and into the bushes. Quietly, I started to make my way away from the cart and towards the open land. When I thought it was safe, I stood.

Unfortunately, this was met with a low growl, and I slowly turned to see a mandril-boar let loose an angry roar. Though the beast couldn't attack from its rock-enclosed habitat, it had brought me unwanted attention.

I heard the owner give a yell to me, but I was already running. Fortunately, it was still dark and a patch of woods was nearby. I made it to the woods, but a thorned branched tore at my mask. I removed it and kept going, my face slick with sweat.

Soon I was far from the zoo and I knew the keeper had to have given up. I sat for a moment on a rock and looked at my surroundings. Nothing but rocky terrain all around here. I was out of Ba Sing Se, but I was too close to it. I had to move to different land, and the sooner I did it the more secure I would feel. I gave a quiet smirk. The worst thing I'd encountered thus far was an ill tempered mandril-boar. Perhaps it was a good omen.

From here there was either the mountain country to the north or the lakes to the east. Since the ferrys were certainly the easiest and fastest way, I chose them. I wanted to be across the lakes before sunrise, so with a heavy sigh I stood and started on my way to the docks.

Unfortunately, it would prove more difficult then I'd realized.

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Of course the ferry wouldn't work. Why would it? For I was Zuko: Joke of the Fates.

"I just want to take a ferry back," I said, my tone revealing how little patience I had left for this damned bureaucracy of the Earth Kingdom.

The ferry captain stood firm, however, chewing on some plumpine gum by the look and smell of it. "You wanna go back?" he snorted, "What, are ya slower than a tortoise-sloth? We bring people by the boatload wantin' to get in to Ba Sing Se. You've gotta be the only guy wantin' to get out."

"You'd be surprised," I remarked darkly, picturing the future Ba Sing Se of Fire Nation rule.

The ferry captain only shook his head. "Well, either way, I'm sorry. Regulations 're regulations. Authorized crew only on back trips. You'd be better off just jumping from the walls and flapping your arms!"

He gave a hearty laugh at his own joke before spitting out the gum onto the deck, only inches from my foot. With a sneer, I noted I'd correctly guessed the flavor.

"I can earn my keep for the trip," I said with a sigh. I'd lived as a peasant for a few weeks; I could deal with a few hours of labor.

The ferry captain, unfortunately, only shook his head as he popped another sickly sweet smelling wad into his jowl. "No can do. Another ferry took a girl for the same bargain. Customs lady on the other dock threw a damn fit."

I raised a hopeful eyebrow and felt my heart shiver. A girl on a back ferry? Could it have been Jin? "A girl?" I asked with quiet conversationalist tone.

The captain gave a nod, his jaw working hard to break into the gum. "Yeah. Heard that she didn't give much of a reason for going, but she was going over to Chi Ningh. Ran right quick outta here too."

I gave a sigh of relief. Jin was out. She'd be safe.

"So," the captain went on, some spittle welling up on his lips from the fresh gum, "That's why I can't give ya a lift, kid. Sorry."

Defeated, I turned away.

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The ferry was out, so what was left? The West Lake was already taken by the Fire Nation. I still wanted to cross the water, so…

I remembered hearing of another way to traverse the lakes, this way by land. The Serpent's Pass. It was said to be dangerous, only for the most desperate. It sounded just like the way I was meant to take. Besides, this was what earthbenders said to be 'most dangerous'. I was a firebender soldier, far more deadly and trained than the common Earth Kingdom peasant.

I'd only seen the Serpent's Pass on a map a few times, so I headed in what I assumed to be the right direction. Fortunately, the sun hadn't risen yet, so the trek on the dry earth was cool.

As I turned a corner, I suddenly found myself face to face with a raised bow and arrow. My surprise slowed my reflexes, and I had time to study the face before I formed any fire in defense. The beady eyes and bulbous nose looked a little familiar, as did those ragged, uniform farces.

"Hey-hey we know you!" a low, slightly raspy voice said and a short homely person with a painted face, and I knew I'd seen the two of them before.

Sneaking into the captain's quarters, stealing food.

"You probably don't remember us," the girl-and I knew her to be one, despite appearances, remembering Uncle's awkward mistake on the boat-said as her comrade lowered the arrow, "Sorry. Just nice to see something familiar around here. I'm Smellerbee, this is Longshot." She gestured to her friend, who gave a nod, then turned back to me, scratching her head. "Sorry, don't remember your name."

"It's Zuko," I replied quietly, and looked at the two-what were they called? Freedom Fighters? Something was missing here… And then I remembered the leader. Jet.

"Us outcasts have to stick together."

"They're Fire Nation!"

"You want a show? I'll give you a show!"

I narrowed my eyes at the two. "Where's your friend?" I said tersely.

Then there was a pause, and I saw a look in Smellerbee's eyes that was so familiar to me that I knew what she was going to say before it came out of her mouth.

"Jet's dead."

-----------------

The burial mound sat across the rock valley of an earthen tent that Smellerbee said she and Longshot had 'found there'.

"We came out here to bury him and just didn't leave," Smellerbee said quietly. I heard her sniff a little, and Longshot put an arm around her shoulder for comfort. "That Long Feng guy messed with his head and killed him."

I stared at the mound, not sure how to feel. He'd become an enemy, but I pitied his friends and knew that this end wasn't meant for him. I thought I owed something to them, so I offered this much:

"Long Feng's dead," I announced quietly.

The two next to me started and stared at me. "What? How do you know?"

That much I wasn't going to reveal. "I just do."

After a thought, the girl said without any guilt, "I'm glad he's dead."

I looked past the valley as the two continued to grieve. I saw a high, jagged scrap of rock and knew it to be the Serpent's Pass. It certainly didn't look all that pleasant, or even remotely like a serpent, but I assumed the title to be a misnomer. It was time I started to leave; I didn't belong here.

"I'm sorry about your friend," I said quietly and sincerely as I started walking away.

"Don't be," the girl said, "Wasn't your fault."

Wasn't it?

I remembered Jet breaking into the tea house and fighting with him. His shouted accusations. The Dai Li taking him away as he continued to yell like a madman. If it hadn't been for the presence of myself and Uncle, Jet wouldn't have fallen to Long Feng's lantern tricks. Then again, it was Jet's fault for loosing it. His fault for getting obsessed with a target.

Like me and the Avatar…

That thought was broken as Smellerbee called after me. "Hey, where're you going?"

"I need to leave," I replied shortly.

"So take a ferry."

"Already tried. They won't take me," I answered simply, "I'm taking the Serpent's Pass."

I heard the girl gasp and rolled my eyes to myself. I didn't need the pity of some pathetic grieving 'Freedom Fighter'. I could handle myself. Besides, the passage looked worse than it probably actually was.

"Hey, no, wait!" she yelled after me as I heard her and the other follow, "Don't do that! It's dangerous!"

"I know," I said so quietly I was surprised they actually heard me.

They caught up and I found the boy, Longshot, thought he would block my way. I glared at him and nearly started forming the fireball I'd almost began when he'd pointed his arrow at me.

"No one's ever gone and survived!" the girl insisted from behind, "Don't take it! Find another way!"

With a suppressed growl, I pushed the boy out of my way. "Go mourn your friend and leave me alone," I said coldly. I continued walking and they didn't stop me again.

to be continued...

up next: the Serpent's Pass