Please note that I update on AO3 way faster than I do here. If you want to read this as soon as it's posted, check there.
Side note about the Dai Li last chapter; throughout the canon Mike and Bryan really hammer home the message that things are never black and white; General Fong, Jeong Jeong, Iroh, Piandao, Ty Lee, Mai…Jet. I really love this aspect of the show but it never gave the Dai Li this chance; they came off as very one dimensional and given human nature, there's no way that there weren't at least a couple of Dai Li who thought 'hang on a damn minute' when everything with Azula came up.
Soulmarks Part 3
Longshot's first thought when he sees the black ash is of Jet and Smellerbee. His second is to move.
Just as well, seconds later a tank rumbled over the ground he'd been standing on.
During the chaos that ensues, Longshot finds himself thrown in prison…if Jet ever asks, he'll make sure the story is suitably heroic even though the reality is a that Fire Nation Officer took exception to Longshot's refusal to speak when the man bumped into him and then demanded Longshot apologise.
He was surprised by the appearance of the Dai Li who came to escort him to his cell…in the back of his mind, he could hear Jet's frothing fury that the Dai Li had clearly betrayed the Earth Kingdom.
…this might help Jet with his Fire Nation issues actually, Longshot muses. If they could move his anger from 'Fire Nation' to 'Bastards in General', it would make things easier when they finally do find Jet's Fire Nation Soulmate (And they will find them, Smellerbee has made that very clear… Longshot knows better than to cross her; she has knives everywhere).
Being in a quiet cell by himself was odd for Longshot; he is too use to the lack of privacy that came from living in the forest, too use to Jet barging in and chattering about whatever had caught their leader's attention, and too use to Smellerbee's permanence at his side.
At least it didn't last long; though he'd have preferred it if the Dai Li hadn't hurled his new cellmate on top of him. The other boy was quick to roll off with a muttered apology, flicking a wary look at him.
Gold eyes.
Only one nation produced that eye colour. Fire Nation. Oma and Shu, the boy could never pass as Earth Kingdom, Longshot observed, taking in the too pale skin. Everything about the other boy screamed Fire.
So what was a child of Fire doing being imprisoned by his own people?
He could really use Smellerbee right now.
XxX
When Zuko imagined 'disappearing en route to the ship', he imagined something subtle, perhaps an Agent quietly earth bending the pair of them through a wall and releasing them in the Lower Ring where it's easy to hide in the masses.
He did not imagine the smirk of a Dai Li agent before a hole in the train and train track appeared beneath their feet and plummeting into a trash heap.
Agni, he could really use a bath…and maybe all the perfume Ba Sing Se had. He was never complaining about Uncle's scent ever again.
"Ugh." He moans, peeling a dirty rag off of his hair with a grimace. He turns a pleading look to his silent companion. "Tell me you know where we can bathe. Please."
Zuko swears that a brief flicker of amusement lit the boy's eyes before he nodded and turned on his heel, gesturing for Zuko to follow. Zuko tries to not to appear too eager as he follows but dear Agni, if there's somewhere he can bathe and hopefully clean his clothes or replace them, then this Earth Kingdom boy is officially his most favourite person ever.
The bath water is cold, in the next room over the woman cleaning their clothes is cursing -bless her for even trying – and Zuko can see goose bumps on his own skin. He heaves a sigh, decides to take a risk -Ting made it obvious he's Fire Nation to his fellow prisoner after all- and turns to his companion.
"Mind if I warm the water?"
The boy -Zuko really needs to find out his name – turns a curious look at him, frowns thoughtfully then nods.
Zuko inhales and exhales rhythmically, slowly raising his own body temperature and then sending his chi out into the water to warm it. As soon as a soft steam appears, he stops and sinks into the water, sighing his content.
"Longshot."
Zuko startles and swallows some bath water. He's coughing as he turns watery eyes to the -wait, he can talk?!
Longshot's lips are twisted in wry amusement. "I'm Longshot."
"Zuko." Zuko chokes, thumping his chest in an attempt to ease the tightness.
"Do you have somewhere to go?"
Zuko opens his mouth to reply then pauses and frowns. Technically there is the teashop…but that's where he was caught so maybe he shouldn't stay there…hopefully he could at least risk checking it out to see if Uncle came back…
The indecision shows on his face -he's never been a good liar, not like Azula who was perfect- because Longshot nods at him. "You can come with me. My friends should be waiting."
Zuko is a little suspicious at the amusement in his dark eyes…but frankly he's too relieved to have someone at his back to care. "I need to check my Uncle's teashop in the Middle Ring…he wasn't home when the Wall came down."
Longshot nodded. "Middle Ring first."
Zuko really hopes Uncle is there…or at least left one of his cryptic messages to prove that he had been.
Heh, missing Uncle's cryptic ways. That's a sign of things being wrong right there.
XxX
Sitting in a cell with a Fire Nation guard trying to taunt him, Iroh is plotting; somehow, he'd ended up with the Avatar at the Earth King's Palace -it was a blur of colours and voices reminiscent of his bachelor party-…and then he saw his niece in Earth Kingdom green (And she does not wear it as well as her brother but that's a thought for another day). One marathon battle later and the Avatar had been shot full of Azula's lightning and he'd been arrested and shipped back to the Fire Nation.
And no matter how delicious the tea Ming sneaks him is; nothing can compare to soul-deep relief he'd be feeling if he knew what had happened to Zuko.
He knows that Zuko was caught by the Dai Li -only because Azula had arrived at his cell nearly foaming at the mouth and demanding to know what tricks he'd taught her brother to enable his escape. Iroh had calmly kept his mouth shut as she ranted about her 'useless' brother (She seems a lot more unhinged lately, Iroh has to wonder at what had happened).
Zuko is far from useless. While he will never be labelled a prodigy; when he does finally learn something, he masters it. And his nephew is sneaky…to a degree that made Azula's attempts at subterfuge laughable.
Iroh should be able to rest easy, it is unlikely that Zuko will be caught again; he now knows to watch out for the Dai Li. But it is hard to let his worry for his young nephew go…especially now when he is just recently chosen which path at the cross roads to take.
For now, Iroh can do nothing. The Eclipse is soon and he will break out during the presumed Invasion. And then he's going to take Ba Sing Se, he'll get his teashop back and he'll find Zuko. In the meantime, Ming has provided White Jade tea with his lunch.
XxX
Longshot finds Zuko easy to read; the Fire Nation boy wears his emotions on his sleeve…likely he's also a terrible liar (He is right of course, but he won't find out how bad Zuko is at lying for a long time coming).
When they arrive at the Jasmine Dragon, Zuko is brisk and efficient in sweeping through everything. But the longer Zuko searches, and does not find what he's looking for, the lower his shoulders droop and the more suspicious the sheen to his golden eyes.
When Zuko pulls out a Pai Sho tile with a White Lotus and a single photo of a young Fire Nation man, Longshot sees his expression completely crumble.
"He hasn't been back." Zuko whispers, the long fingers of one hand curling around the tile as the other presses that picture against his collar bone. "Uncle would never leave Lu Ten's picture or this blasted tile behind; not by choice."
Zuko is clearly lost. Longshot doesn't have to know him well to see that. He watches silently as Zuko's face runs a full gauntlet of emotions before settling on resolve. Zuko's expression hardens as he moves through the apartment, disappearing into a bedroom for a moment before returning with sheathed Duo Dao. Longshot smiles at the sight of the weapon; he's seen that exact pair emblazoned on a tanned shoulder with a dragon curled around them.
Longshot watches as Zuko reverently secures the picture and tile into a small metal box with a few other trinkets. He then secures it and the little food and coins that haven't been looted into a sturdy bag.
Zuko inhales sharply before slinging the bag over his shoulder and turning to Longshot. "Let's go." He utters quietly. "If they have Uncle…he won't be in the Earth Kingdom anymore; they'll have taken him back to the Fire Nation." He turns those golden eyes onto Longshot, and Longshot swears they're glowing. "You said you have friends waiting…will they want to stay here or leave? I have to get out…and I could use some help."
Longshot can't help himself; he smiles.
XxX
Jet doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know what to do.
Smellerbee sitting on him probably isn't helping with that. But neither would his half-assed plan to tackle a soldier and demand to know where Longshot is. In fact, now he's had time to calm down, Jet's pretty certain Longshot would be giving him that look -the one full of sardonic disdain – if he were here.
And now Smellerbee's sharpening her knives as her knees dig into his rib cage.
Suddenly there is a muffled snort of amusement and both Freedom Fighters snap their heads to look at the window.
Smellerbee's knees dig painfully further into his ribcage for a brief moment before she's up and tackling Longshot into a hug. The strange boy half sitting in the window behind their friend flails briefly when the pair's bodies collide with him. His hands slam onto the window frame with a loud thud as he locks his body into place and stops all three of them from tumbling back out the window.
Aaaand Smellerbee's getting that look Longshot always gives them when he thinks they need to tone it down. But she's too ecstatic to pay him any mind, hands already eagerly pulling Longshot further into the apartment, tugging him down on the lumpy mattress they use a couch.
Jet is too busy trying to ignore the throb of his ribcage to do much more than sneak looks at the guest Longshot has dragged in. He can hear Longshot give his companion's name, Smellerbee's laughter as Zuko seethes through an explanation of how they escaped. Oma and Shu Jet's never met anyone who can radiate pure contempt like this boy can. If looks could kill then the Dai Li should all be dropping dead right about now. It amuses Jet that Zuko is more furious about being dropped into a rubbish heap by a Dai Li agent than he is about them colluding with the Fire Nation. Such a weird boy. And keep in mind, Jet knows weird.
XxX
It is nearing dawn when they finally feel that they've covered enough ground to be considered free of Ba Sing Se. Zuko visibly sags in relief. But only for a moment before the Freedom Fighters swear they could see his spine snap back into a rigid posture. A second later, Zuko is kneeling on the ground and pulling out a map from his bag to spread across the dirt.
Jet watches in interest as pale fingers dance across the kanji, hovering over lines of blue before sweeping across and out over the ocean. It takes him a moment to realise the boy's destination.
"You want to go to the Fire Nation?!" He blurts out. "Are you insane?" From the corner of his eye, he can see Smellerbee smack her forehead and Longshot shake his head.
"They. Have. My. Uncle." Zuko is suddenly all golden-eyed fury.
And suddenly the significance of those eyes hit Jet like a landslide and his eyes dart down to pale clenched fists. Jet isn't sure if it's his imagination or if there really is steam whispering around those bone white knuckles. He can see Longshot tensing and shooting him a concerned look. Smellerbee looks on curiously up until the moment Longshot grips her shoulder -all it takes is a single look from the archer and suddenly her face is dawning with realisation -and just a little touch of apprehension.
Jet inhales, exhales and lets it go -he has to let go, he has a Fire Nation Soulmate and he wants to be good to whoever they are.
So instead of reaching for his swords, he settles for giving the boy a firm look. "How does a Fire Nation teen and his uncle end up in Ba Sing Se?"
Zuko tucks his hands into his sleeves, pulling his posture into an even straighter line and returns his stare with a haughty expression. "We took the ferry."
Jet can't help it. He laughs.
XxX
I tried to keep Longshot's bits short purely because I didn't want to impose presumptions about his character; he doesn't speak much so it's hard to gauge his personality -beyond a clearly unlimited amount of patience and discipline- and that makes it too easy to impose one on him. Hopefully this worked *crosses fingers*