Yes, despite a busy first week of high school (yay freshmen!) I managed to get this third chapter done...so enjoy! And Oyaji, in case you were confused, is the bearded guy who appareas to be in charge of Kyoshi Island.

Ch 3

Suki

Suki checked and double checked her bag. Makeup—check. Hairbrush—check. Extra clothes—check. Extra fans—check. It was all there but that couldn't stop the feeling of nervousness she had.

"Suki?" called her mother from the other room. "Are you all packed?"

"Yes, Mom." Answered Suki. She grabbed her bag and went to join her mother in the other room. As soon as entered the room, her mother gave her such a big hug that it nearly smudged her makeup.

"Oh, you look just like I did when I was your age!" her mother commented, her eyes watering. "Please, please be take care and be safe!"

"I know, Mom." Said Suki. "and you know that I can take care of myself. You said it yourself, I'm like you when you were younger." Her mother smiled weakly, two tears sliding down her face.

"I know, but I'm not a young warrior anymore. I'm your mother." She hugged Suki again. "you've grown up so fast!" They broke away from their embrace. "I'm going to go make sure Oyaji doesn't discover you girls sneaking away. So…" she wiped away her tears. "Good bye…and good luck." She turned and headed off into the night. Suki took a deep breath then proceeded to the edge of the island where she was going to meet the girls.

Suki saw Lia first when she arrived. Lia was tending to the boat that they would be taking to the mainland. Keya and Mian were responsible for food that they would have on the journey.

"Lia!" whispered Suki causing her friend to jump.

"Suki! You're here!" exclaimed Lia.

"Who else is here?" asked Suki.

"Everyone except Tashi." Answered Lia. Suki peered into the boat to see Mian, Keya, and Sima looking back up at her grinning. "She had to go back to her house real quick and grab some stuff she forgot."

"Okay," said Suki. "We'll leave as soon as she comes. The sooner the better."

"I think I see someone coming!" said Mian pointing out into the dark.

"It looks like too people…" said Suki trailing off seeing who the second figure was. "Oyaji!" she muttered. Oyaji was half-dragging poor Tashi who looked quite unhappy.

"Suki, I thought your mom was supposed to make sure that Oyaji didn't find out about us sneaking away." Hissed Sima.

"She was supposed to…" muttered Suki. Oyaji approached them and Tashi managed to wriggle out of his grip and ran behind Suki as though she believed that Suki would protect her from any more of Oyaji's wrath.

"So, you decided to go anyway…" observed Oyaji, examining the six Kyoshi warriors, their boat, and their supplies.

"Yes," retorted Suki, "and you can't stop us. It's all six of us against just one of you." Oyaji just smiled.

"Don't worry, I have no intentions of stopping you."

"Really?" asked Tashi peaking out from behind Suki tentatively. Oyaji shook his head.

"If you're not going to stop us now, then why did you say no before?" questioned Suki. Oyaji sighed.

"Suki, I still remember when you were a little girl. You were first to raise your hand when it came time to choosing who the next batch of Kyoshi warriors were going to be. You were always headstrong and ambitious…always wanting to be the best you could be…and you still are. I knew that even if I said no, that you would be out here going anyway. You always follow your heart Suki. You are always unselfish, never stopping in your quest to help others." He paused, and looked in the other direction.

"But you still didn't answer why you said no…" said Suki, trying not to let her tone sound harsh.

"I said no…" he said finally. "because you're one of the best Kyoshi warriors since, well, your mother. I know it sounds bad and extremely selfish but it made sense to me at the time. I just didn't want to let you leave and leave our little island where you've always been such a great help."

"But, Oyaji…" said Suki putting her hand on his shoulder. "When the war's over, I'll come back."

"We'll all come back." Added Lia. The Kyoshi Warriors crowded around him in a huge group hug. Then, silently, they all turned at once to head back to the boat. As Suki was about to step inside the tiny vessel, Oyaji stopped her.

"One last thing," he said. She turned to face him. The others were getting settled in the boat. He took her hand and in it placed a small carved talisman. "This belonged to Avatar Kyoshi herself." He told her. "She kept it for good luck, and now I am giving it to you, in the hope that your luck will be as good as hers was." Suki didn't know what to say.

"Thank you." She finally managed to whisper. She placed the talisman in her dress pocket and entered the boat. "Alright, girls, get read to paddle!" They all grabbed their oars, ready to leave their island home far behind. As Suki paddled she watched Oyaji on the shore as his silhouette grew smaller and smaller until he, and the coast of island could no longer be seen.

Her quest to help the world had begun.

Jet

"So, where did you say you all are going?" asked Mutiny, after a brief tour around the hideout.

"Ba Sing Se." answered Jet. "We're leaving this forest and this valley for the shelter of the greatest Earth Kingdom city."

"What did you call yourselves? Freedom Fighters?" commented Mutiny. "Because it doesn't seem to me like you're fighting for freedom."

"Hey, we used to fight firebenders on a near-daily basis!" said Smellerbee defensively. "but we think its best for everyone to go to Ba Sing Se." Mutiny shrugged in response.

"If it was me, I would stay and keep fighting those firebenders until we had stamped out every last one." Jet rolled his eyes. Mutiny was exactly like him several years ago…but Jet was one step ahead of him. He had done his share of bad things, and he had learned to feel regret and remorse. Though, Jet did find it amusingly ironic that Mutiny was so eager to attack firebenders for destroying his village, when he really should be attacking Jet and the Freedom Fighters. What Mutiny didn't know could never hurt him… "When are you leaving, Jet?" asked Mutiny interrupting Jet's thoughts.

"Tomorrow." Said Jet firmly. "And you can either come, or stay in this forest, I'm not going to make your choices for you."

That night was their last dinner in the hideout. Nearly everyone pitched in with the cooking and preparing making a giant feast. After they had finished eating Jet had planned to give another speech about what they were to do once they left, but before he could stand up, Mutiny stood and began talking.

"I know that some of you might have met me, but I would like to formally introduce myself. My name is Mutiny and my village was destroyed several days ago by a flood." There were slight whispers after that comment by the main group of Freedom Fighters who had assisted in flooding the village but Mutiny continued talking anyway.

"Now, your leader, Jet, has invited me to come with you all to Ba Sing Se, but I don't want to hide while firebenders destroy the world. I still want to stay here and fight. You have an excellent hideout here, practically limitless food supplies, and a great life here. Why would any of you want to leave it? Sounds like madness in my opinion. Anyone who wants to stay is welcome to do so with me. That is all." He sat down.

Who does this guy think he is? Thought Jet to himself. Coming in here, expecting my Freedom Fighters to suddenly just start listening to him? Jet tried to hide his skeptical smirk, at the preposterous idea.

After dinner was finished, Jet returned to his tree-house to discover Mutiny was there.

"Hey," said Mutiny nonchalantly, lying on the cot that used to be Jet's. "You don't mind me taking over your tree-house?"

"Whatever," replied Jet in annoyance. "But you can't have it tonight." He shoved Mutiny off the small cot. Mutiny turned and left the tree-house and Jet resisted the strong urge to throw one of his swords at the back of Mutiny's irritating head. Sighing, he lied down on the thin mattress and closed his eyes to rest.

The next thing he knew, he was awoken by a cold burst of water hitting him in the face. All the Freedom Fighters were around him and he realized that he was tied down and couldn't move. Mutiny leered down at him.

"So, it was you who commandeered the destruction of my village."

"Okay, yes! But it was to make the firebenders leave." Answered Jet. "Who told you?"

"I have my sources." Replied Mutiny.

"You're not called Mutiny for nothing!" commented Jet looking at the Freedom Fighters that were circled around him but two were missing. "Where are Longshot and Smellerbee?" he demanded.

"That scrawny little girl and that silent archer?" asked Mutiny. Jet nodded vigorously. "They're right here." Several of the others pushed Smellerbee and Longshot forward. Their hands and mouths were bound.

"Let them go!" shouted Jet. "We're leaving for Ba Sing Se in the morning and we'll be gone for good."

"Leave now." Replied Mutiny. "I'll give you your weapons and cut you free if you leave now."

"Deal." Said Jet. Mutiny snapped his fingers and Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot were released.

"We'll give you your weapons once you're out of the hideout." Explained Mutiny as he lead Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot out of the tree house they were in.

"And Longshot wants his hat too." Added Smellerbee nervously. Someone in the crowd threw Longshot's favorite hat at him and he caught it, smiling grimly. They all descended onto the forest floor.

"Good bye!" yelled Jet up at the people that used to be his Freedom Fighters. The last of the kids climbed back up into the trees and the ladder was pulled up. "And good riddance, you double crossers." Muttered Jet. Smellerbee's and his swords were dropped down, along with Longshot's bow and arrows and the last sounds of feet above them disappeared. They were alone, three outcasts in a big, big world.

one last thing...a sedition is (as defined by encarta dictionary) actions or words intended to provoke or incite rebellion against government authority, or such a rebellion.