Burning Bright
Part XXIV
"Gather around Team Avatar!" Sokka declared and Jin nervously paced towards him as everyone drew nearer. Today, after another huge and violent fight with each other, Aang and Zuko had made up with whatever arguments and misconceptions and disagreements they had with each other after Zuko had just told Aang and by extension, everyone, of his father's plan to burn Ba Sing Se and the whole world down. The thought of Ba Sing Se, the city that had once protected her and her brothers against the Fire Nation, burning down into nothing but a pile of ashes, made her feel ridiculously sick and nauseated all at once. After Zuko had shared his little narration, Jin had to cling unto a nearby bush to keep herself from going under. How long would it be before Ozai's thirst for power and dominance would be satiated? How long would it be before he has had enough of his fill? How long would it be before he would be satisfied?
Everyone in the group agreed, of course, almost immediately, that the sun would probably explode and Sokka would metamorphose into a girl before Ozai would be happy with all the people he has killed and with all the cities he has burned into the ground. The solution reached by the group was that Aang had to take the Fire Lord down before the comet ended and the only reasonable conclusion that everyone could agree on, on how to stop Ozai, was to kill him. Aang didn't seem too enthusiastic about the idea but Zuko was obviously very pleased that Aang had finally started to take things seriously.
Jin anxiously adjusted her arm guards and watched as Sokka began to draw a schematic on the dirt ground. They were training that day, in preparation for Aang's upcoming big fight. Sokka insisted that they all wear their battle gear so that everything would seem real. Zuko, Aang, Toph and Suki didn't have much left of their "battle gear" so they all simply came with their regular clothes on. Sokka flashed his fancy wolf helmet around, Katara put on a pair of leg and arm guards while Jin donned on He Shen's stone arm and leg guards. She decided not to wear the helmet and armor because despite Sokka wanting a realistic feel, wearing a heavy helmet and armor was a little too much.
"In order to take out the Fire Lord, or in this case, the 'Melon Lord', our timing has to be perfect," Sokka said as he gestured at their own version of the Fire Lord. It was a watermelon that Sokka had expertly carved into a shape of a face twisted into an evil grin and it was propped up against a wooden frame with a red cloth draped on it. Jin thought that it was slightly funny and hysterical. Zuko wasn't as amused. Despite the fact that he had just condemned his father, he still could not prevent the impulses of being defensive whenever his father was being thoroughly mocked.
Sokka knelt down and began to draw a line with a stick, curving to the left towards the melon-shaped symbol on the ground and he said, "First, Suki and I will draw his fire."
"Then, Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offence and while the 'Melon Lord' is distracted…." Sokka said as he drew a straight line in the middle. Zuko nodded seriously while Katara stared at the plan intently.
"Aang swoops in and BAM! He delivers the final blow," Sokka said triumphantly as he drew a line curving right into the melon symbol. Aang paled and looked away in utter disgust.
"Hey! What about us?" Toph cried indignantly, gesturing at herself and Jin. Jin looked up in surprise; she was so busy listening to Sokka spout off about his plans that she did not realize that Sokka had not mentioned what she and Toph were to do.
"For now, you two would be the Melon Lord's forces," Sokka quickly said.
"So me and Smiley get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you ," Toph excitedly said.
"Whatever makes the training feel more realistic," Sokka shrugged.
Toph held her hand out to high-five Jin and Jin gladly returned it as Toph happily said, "Sweetness."
Jin chuckled and said, "I guess that means I'm supposed to be your second-in-command, O Great and Amazing 'Melon Lord'."
She playfully elbowed Toph who laughed and quickly returned it with a much stronger punch. Jin gave a small cry and rubbed at her arm as a bruise started to form.
"Hey!" Jin said.
"Don't 'hey' me Smiley. I'm the Melon Lord, remember?" Toph said as she smirked and wagged a finger at Jin's face.
"Yeah, you can be the crazy 'Melon Princess', 'Melon Lord's' certifiably insane daughter," Sokka shot and everyone but Zuko burst out into laughter at Sokka's obvious reference to Zuko's maniacal sister, Azula. Jin stopped her sniggering as soon as she realized that Zuko was staring at them intently, his arms folded and his expression annoyed and grim. Once everyone realized that Zuko was less-than-pleased, the laughter slowly lulled into a silence.
"She's not going to be crazy when you meet her in the battlefield. She's going to be flat-out vindictive and scheming. She's not someone to be taken lightly with," Zuko said as his lips drew into a tight line. Everyone hushed and stopped whatever snickers and giggles that were still escaping from their mouth.
Zuko then gestured at the "Melon Lord" and said in a slightly angry tone, "And neither is my father. He won't hesitate to roast you alive if everyone one of us makes one wrong move that could cost us the war. Maybe you guys should think about that instead of making ridiculous 'Melon Lord' statues."
He then looked at Toph and Jin, his eyes focused and steely and he said in a brusque and business-like tone, "You guys have to make it realistic. No messing around. This isn't a game anymore!"
He practically yelled and spat in front of Toph and Jin and for the first time since she had met him, Jin felt truly afraid of him. He looked so angry and serious, even more so than usual. Jin backed away a little and Zuko, upon noticing her expression, cringed and looked away muttering, "Let's just start."
Sokka weakly nodded and they all took their positions. Jin and Toph hurried over to the "Melon Lord" statue with Toph cursing under her breath. She gave a reproachful look at Jin before saying snippily, "He wants the 'Melon Lord' to be realistic? I'll give your stupid boyfriend realistic Smiley."
It took them a full fifteen minutes to get the set-up ready. Jin lined bowls of fire around the Melon Lord statue and Toph and she filled it with tar and oil. She stepped back and allowed Zuko to firebend on them so that they now burned and glowered into a ferocious ring of flames. Then, while Sokka went off with everyone else to perfect their strategy, Toph yammered from behind Jin, telling her what she was to do and what their plan was, as Jin took a few boulders and arranged some seaweed on them so they looked strangely menacing and ominous as they surrounded Toph. She then earthbent a couple of rock statues that resembled Firebenders and she placed them strategically all over the training grounds. Finally, Jin took a few rocks and rubbed and coated them with more tar and oil and she placed them in a great big bowl at her side along with some clumps of coal.
"So, remember Smiley, we hit them hard and we hit them fast—so fast they won't have time to think. Sparky wants a realistic Melon Lord and Princess? Well, we're going to give it to him—we're going to give it to him real good," Toph said as her lips curved into a small and smug smile.
"Hey, what are you doing? Are you listening to me?" Toph frowned as soon as she realized that Jin was preoccupied with her bowl filled with tar and oil-line stones and coals.
Jin paused from her concentrated work and said with a voice riddled with triumph, "We're supposed to be like the Fire Lord right?"
"Yeah, in all his flaming glory," Toph said as she rolled her eyes.
"I coated some rocks with tar and oil. We earthbend the coals and rocks into the flaming bowls, the ones you see over there—''
"I can't see, Smiley—''
"The ones you feel over there, it goes up in flames, we chuck it at them until they're tired and then we take out the big boys," Jin said and she gestured at the boulders with seaweed strapped and piled atop them.
Toph raised a brow and pointed at her eyes, "I can't see Smiley. All I feel are really, heavy, heavy boulders. Are they covered with oil and tar as well?"
Her voice was laced with sarcasm and she was batting her eyelashes in an overly-sweet manner. Jin shrugged it off and said, "There's seaweed on it actually, to make it look more dangerous. I think Sokka once told me that seaweed can catch fire pretty fast. But yeah, I've rubbed some tar and oil on it as well."
"Thank you so much," Toph drawled and Jin replied in a tone that was just as flighty, "Oh, you're very welcome."
They spent the next few hours strategizing on how to make their own interpretation of the Fire Lord as believable as they could. Jin, in particular very much wanted to impress Zuko because she saw that this was something which he took really seriously. He was obviously dissapointed with their lax regard of the Fire Lord's power and ability to crush them all in one swift move. She wanted to show him that she didn't' share the same sentiments. Toph decided that Katara and Zuko would be a bit more difficult to take out since they were both benders. She told Jin that she had to focus on taking Suki and Sokka down while Toph would handle Katara and Zuko.
"Then, when they're all down we take on Aang. Is that understood?" Toph hollered. Jin nodded absentmindedly, a little bored by Toph's long discussion. Suddenly, Toph wagged a finger in front of her and said snippily, "And don't go all nicey-nicey with Sparky, you hear?"
Before Jin could make a clever retort something sliced through the air and it whizzed past the space between them. Out of instinct, Jin and Toph crouched into the ground as the projectile sprung past them once again. Jin looked up and saw that it was Sokka's boomerang.
"It's started!" Jin screeched.
Toph gave her a quick punch on the arm and snapped, "Well, and don't just stay there! Get moving! Bring the soldiers out!"
Jin was quickly on her feet and as Toph started to earthbend the coals and tar-line rocks at Zuko and Katara, Jin made the rock statues form a circle around Suki and Sokka. She said peevishly as Sokka hacked one statue to pieces, "Hey, no fair! You didn't give us a head start!"
Zuko flashed her a charming grin and said, "All's fair in love and war."
Jin stuck her tongue out at him but that only resulted in a swift blow to the head, courtesy of Toph, who then yelled at her, "Focus, Smiley!"
Suki spun, made a flip and impressively crushed a rock soldier while knocking another one down with her feet as Sokka carefully weaved out from behind her to hack a stone soldier that Jin sent to take Suki by surprise from the side. A few feet away from them, Zuko and Katara worked like a well-oiled machine, perfectly in-synch with each other's pace and moves as they nimbly took down the ring of soldiers Toph had sent them. Jin gave a deep breath and earthbent a boulder forward. Zuko and Katara gracefully avoided it with a quick sidestep and it careened straight towards Suki and Sokka. Suki cart wheeled over it while Sokka tripped and nearly smashed his face against the ground.
"Hey, watch it!" Sokka angrily said as he shook his fist in the air.
Before Jin could respond Toph retorted, "Can it, you hobo! All's fair in love and war right?"
Sokka grumpily sighed and said, "Whatever, Toph."
She gave an evil smile before breaking out in a maniacal laugh, "I am not Toph. I am 'Melon Lord'! Muahahahahaha!"
The momentary lapse in Toph's concentration was all they needed. Sokka swung his boomerang, and Jin who was controlling the rock soldiers that surrounded Suki and Toph, ducked as she narrowly avoided it. The brief break in her focus caused the rock soldiers to be more lenient allowing Sokka and Suki to push past them. Toph paused from her laughter only to see that her defenses have been broken down by Katara and Zuko.
"Smiley! The big boys! Bring out the big boys!" Toph frantically said.
Jin scrambled back up and the two of them earthbent the boulders with the seaweed towards the flaming bowls and shot them towards Sokka, Suki, Katara and Zuko. Sokka dodged it clumsily while Suki gracefully jumped over it. Katara fleetly did a backflip as the boulder careened past her. Zuko on the other hand, confidently met the boulder and with a quick swing of his arms, he easily dispelled the flames and jumped over the boulder. Before Toph and Jin could regroup, Sokka and Suki hurtled towards them with Sokka grabbing Jin's arm in a hold and with Suki grabbing her shoulders. Katara and Zuko managed to capture a writhing and screaming Toph.
"Now, Aang!" Sokka hollered as he tried to keep a struggling Jin at bay.
Aang, who had just stood in the corner looking unsure, finally crafted a look of confidence. Using his airbending, he propelled himself through his sole forward, towards the "Melon Lord", his staff raised in a hostile position. As he landed, his staff hung in the air, poised to give the final blow. On his face was a look of pure anger and resentment; his eyes were narrowed and his lips were set in a tight line. Toph and Jin finally stopped struggling, grudgingly admitting defeat and they all stood around him, in a circle, waiting for him to finish what needed to be done.
The staff hung in the air, ready, but suddenly it slackened and Aang's face which was once etched with a look of pure confidence and anger, was suddenly riddled with hesitation and uncertainty. He put his staff down and backed away, his face drooping and folding into a despondent form.
"What are you waiting for? Take him out!" Zuko snapped. He let go of Toph and strode towards Aang his nostrils flaring in anger.
Aang shook his head and looked away from everyone, too ashamed to meet their gaze. He said in a quiet voice, "I can't."
Sokka who was holding Jin by the wrist, frowned and let go, trudging forward in an annoyed manner. He pointed at Aang and accusingly said, "What's wrong with you?"
He spun around to face everyone and he spread his arms out angrily, "If this was the real deal…"
He paused and made a beheading gesture. Aang looked up slowly in shock as Sokka snapped, "You'd be shot full of lightning right now."
Everyone else held their breaths as a thick silence ensued. Aang looked at his feet and nervously hemmed and hawed. Zuko didn't say anything though his face looked as if he approved of Sokka's harsh reproach at Aang while Katara looked a little angry. Jin looked down, unable to meet Aang's sad and despondent gaze. It was necessary—yes. But he was just a kid and Jin always felt a spasm of guilt whenever she thought of how horrible of a position they had placed him in. It was enough to make anyone feel crazy.
"I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself," Aang frantically said.
Suddenly, Sokka's machete swung in the air and in one quick second, the "Melon Lord's" head fell from its place and rolled into the ground. Everyone's eyes followed it as it tumbled towards Aang, finally landing in front of him. Aang closed his eyes and grimaced at the violent act. Momo sprung forward and began to lick at the melon and Aang struggled to contain the gorge that rose from within his throat.
Sokka placed his machete back in place and ignored everyone's stares. Jin looked up at Zuko and she saw that while he was obviously a little distraught at the beheading, he wholeheartedly approved of it.
"There," Sokka quietly said as Aang opened his eyes in shock.
Zuko said in a small and sure voice, "That's how it's done."
Though she felt extremely sorry for Aang, Jin could not help but echo a supportive, "Yeah. That's exactly how it should be done."
Aang suddenly scowled, spun around and stormed off, muttering in frustration as everyone but Katara chorused agreements of yes.
Jin felt bad after the way they treated Aang that day. He was still a boy, not yet a full-grown adult, and already they were heaping so much pressure on him. It was a little unfair of them to do so. They only thought about themselves, not giving a second thought of how Aang might feel about the whole ordeal or whether he would be fine with it.
"I feel horrible," Jin said as soon as Zuko sat next to her, his dinner bowl in hand. Today's dinner was a hearty vegetable stew that was thick with milky broth and carrots and peas and corn and cabbage and some tofu. Katara had made it for Aang, so that he may feel a little better, especially after the hostile rebuke they had all given him that afternoon. Aang wasn't touching his food though. It remained cold and untouched on his lap, his face screwed in a sad and confused expression.
"About what?" Zuko asked as he sipped the broth.
"About Aang," Jin said, a little impatient that Zuko was catching on so slow.
Zuko stared at her in pure disbelief, as if he could not fathom as to why she could ever even think about him or his feelings in times like these. He ate a slice of carrot slowly before saying, "Why? It's the only option. The sooner he starts accepting it, the sooner this stupid war can end."
Jin looked down and mumbled, "But he obviously does not want to end it like this."
Zuko shrugged and said, "Well, it's the only way to end this."
"He's twelve and he's afraid and he's nervous. I feel so bad about the way I just turned around and said that to him," Jin whispered as she played with her food. After a moment's pause she said as she fiddled with her chopsticks, "He's a monk and all and I heard that monks were very peace-loving and they couldn't even kill a fly because of the philosophy that each and every life is precious."
After a few minutes of silence she added, "And again, he's twelve."
"He's the Avatar," Zuko numbly said though he looked slightly remorseful.
"He's our friend," Jin sadly said though she knew well enough that despite feeling very sorry for Aang, she agreed with everyone else's sentiments that the only true way to defeat the Fire Lord was to kill him.
"What do you think?" Zuko asked suddenly.
"Hm?"
"About….Aang and the Fire Lord," Zuko carefully said. He looked at her, his amber eyes glowing with intensity.
Jin honestly answered him, "I think that the Fire Lord should be killed. But if he has to be killed by Aang….that's another matter—''
"It's his destiny, Jin," Zuko simply said.
"I know," Jin grudgingly acknowledged. It was hard truth. But it was the truth all the same.
Zuko then took her hand and he stroked it gently and said, "Hey, it's going to be all over soon. We all have to do something we don't like at some point or the other, to get what we want. It's just a matter of how you look at things."
Jin's lips curled into a smile and she nudged Zuko's elbow playfully and she said quietly, "When did you get so wise?"
Zuko smiled wistfully and said, "I think some of my uncle's wisdom is rubbing off me."
"I'm actually surprised it got through your thick head," Jin snickered and Zuko pretended to look angry though his eyes were crinkled in delight and mirth.
The two of them continued to talk, with much lighter topics at hand and the whole group proceeded to eat their dinner heartily. Sokka was complaining loudly about Katara's cooking, since he was very much hoping for something meatier than vegetable stew. Suki pretended to listen to Sokka's ranting although she was mournfully picking at her food, bored. Toph was more engrossed in her eating; she ate her food with relish and savor, taking long amounts of time to chew it in such a delighted manner. No one noticed the Avatar, the despondent boy at the corner who could not bring himself to eat, for a long time up until Katara came striding in, a scroll in her hands.
"I have a surprise for everyone!" Katara excitedly said.
They all looked up in anticipation, with Toph being the most eager. She burst out, "I knew it! You did have a secret thing with Haru!"
Katara's eyes widened and she gave a blank look while everyone else stared at Toph in equally expressionless faces. Toph, apparently realizing her folly, quickly looked down and began to pick at her food in an embarrassed fashion. Katara looked away as if to dispel the momentarily lapse of their merriment before finally looking back at the group and saying quietly, "Er, no."
As if that was all they needed to return to their original state of exuberance, everyone, save Aang, began to quickly return to their eating.
"I was looking for cooking pots in the attic and I found this," Katara excitedly said as she threw the scroll downwards and unfurled it.
On it was a very beautifully drawn portrait of a baby; its chubby hands were thrown up in the air, ready to catch an invisible plaything, its adorable little feet were posed in a pattering motion of pure childhood perfection and the little, cherub face was stretched into a look of unadulterated, untainted innocence. All in all it summed up to a rather delightful and endearing portrait.
"Look at baby Zuko! Isn't he cute?" Katara said as she showed the picture around. Zuko's face fell into a deep frown as everyone clamored over to Katara to take a better look at the photo. His frown especially grew deeper once he realized that Jin was among those who moved closer to take a better look.
Jin in particular, looked very happy and enamored. She squealed, "Awww…Zuko you look so adorable! Just look at that cute nose!"
Everyone continued to coo and gush and Sokka made a small joke about baby Zuko and everyone laughed. Only Zuko hung back, his expression irritated and his eyes closed.
"Oh lighten up, I was just teasing," Katara said as soon as she realized that Zuko was not amused.
Zuko opened his eyes and avoided everyone's gaze as he said, "That's not me. It's my father."
Everyone stilled from the shock of the thing. Jin especially felt her mouth go dry as she took a look at the picture once again. How could this adorable baby grow up to be the murderer of so many people?
"But he looked so sweet and innocent," Sokka disbelievingly said as he pointed at the picture once again. Jin involuntarily gave a nod of agreement.
Zuko's expression curdled and he said in a slightly sad but angry tone, "Well that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster. And the worst Father in the history of Fathers."
Jin was a little ashamed to admit, that an involuntary surge of disagreement overcame her once Zuko said that. She fleetingly thought about her dad and how he was the one who was the worst father in the history of fathers. But then, she remembered that she didn't hate him and that she loved her dad despite his shortcomings. She ducked her head and silently berated herself for even thinking about such things.
"But he is still a human being," Aang said as everyone turned their attention at him.
"You're going to defend him ," Zuko said in disbelief. It was a statement of fact, not a question of verification and something about it sent an air of reprove around them.
Aang slowly stood up, shook his head and said, "No, I agree with you. Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person and the World will probably be better off without him. There's gotta be another way."
"Like what ?" Zuko demanded his tone angry and upset.
"I don't know. Maybe we can make some big pots of glue and then I can use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore," Aang said, his hands moving in vivid gestures, his voice ringing with subdued hope.
"Yeah. Then you can show him his baby pictures and all those happy memories will make him good again," Zuko sarcastically said, his eyes rolling in disdained mockery. Everyone but Katara began to snicker and giggle nervously.
Aang in his naïveté perked up and said excitedly, "Do you really think that would work ?"
Zuko scowled and his face turned more serious. He faced Aang and sternly said, "No!"
Aang dropped his head and sighed, "This goes against everything I learned from the monks. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like…"
He began to pace forward and backward with anxiety, his hands wrung and his face drawn. Sokka, in his usual humorous and self-effacing manner, said, "Sure, you can. You're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the Universe will forgive you."
Aang suddenly whirled around burst out in hot temper, "This isn't a joke, Sokka! None of you understands the position I'm in!"
Everyone grew silent from his outburst. Finally, Jin said in a meek and quiet voice, "Aang, it's true that we don't understand about what you're going through. But we do understand about what needs to be done to win the war."
"So you think that to end all this violence I have to do it with more violence?" Aang spat in disgust as he turned at her, his eyebrows drawn in anger.
Jin looked surprise at his reaction. Her face looked firm and assured but her voice betrayed a tone of slight fear and meekness, "All I'm saying is you can't defeat the Fire Lord by being polite and nice to him! He's the kind of person that shouldn't be allowed to live. If you let him go, he's going to wreak more havoc and kill more people… All I'm saying is that maybe killing is the only way to deal with people like him!"
Aang stared back at her fiercely and snapped, "Of course you would say that! Your dad's a crazy and insane war lord and general who probably taught you that killing is the only way to go!"
Jin shrank back, a little hurt and afraid of his rebuke. She had always admired and respected Aang as a hero and as someone to be regarded with dignity and reverence. His angry reproach at her made her feel as if she had dissapointed him and made him think of her as less of a person somehow.
"Don't talk to her like that! She's only telling you what she thinks! What everyone in here thinks! And maybe…maybe what she's saying is right!" Zuko suddenly said, looking annoyed and angry at Aang's temperamental outburst at his girlfriend.
Katara decided that it was time to stop the argument that was slowly starting to boil over. She said trying to appease everyone, "Aang, relax. What Jin is trying to say is that we do understand. It's just…"
Aang looked at her and rudely interrupted, "Just what, Katara ! What ?"
Katara now looked visibly annoyed. She said, "We're trying to help."
"Then you—'' He pointed to Katara.
"And you—'' He gave Jin a pointed look.
He continued, "—figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, then I would love to hear it!"
He scowled, raised his arms in exasperation before turning around and storming off into the opposite direction. Katara moved a step forward and frantically said, "Aang, don't walk away from this!"
Zuko stopped Katara by grabbing her shoulder and saying, "Let him go. He needs time to sort it out by himself."
Toph shook her head and said the prevalent truth that no one wanted to admit, "He better sort it out fast, then. We don't have the time."
Jin nervously toyed with the hem of her sleeve as the cold night air whipped past her face and stung her into wakefulness. She looked over to the side and tried to keep herself from vomiting, a side effect she always experienced when riding on Appa. During her first ride on him, she had remained stiff and anxious, clinging rigidly unto his saddle. Tonight wasn't any different. The ride still felt very different and unnatural to her and coupled with the fact that she was bursting with anticipation and anxiety; it was no small wonder as to why she was not having a particularly enjoyable experience as she sat stiffly on Appa's back.
So far, after their little argument with Aang, things have been one big disaster after another. Aang had disappeared, nobody could find him and now they were travelling a hundred miles away from the Fire Nation in their quest to locate him. Zuko was a little miffed and angry, thinking that Aang had gone off to run away from his responsibilities. Jin thought that something horrible had happened to him and that they seriously needed to find and rescue him at once. Katara though that it was all their fault for being so mean to him and Aang probably went into retreat out of fear or apprehension at what they were all about to make him do. Toph thought that they were all overreacting and that Aang was probably back at camp wondering where they all were. Sokka on the other hand, was very sure that Appa had eaten Aang and he now regarded the bison with much suspicion.
Zuko had been declared as the leader in their search party since three years of trailing the Avatar has left him with the most experience of being able to decipher Aang's whereabouts. Aside from that, he was a good, solid, dependable leader who despite his hot temper, could be levelheaded if the time came for it.
"You okay, back there Smiley?" Toph, who was desperately clinging unto the saddle just as much as Jin was, called out as soon as she realized that Jin was the only one who remained quiet in their little group.
"Just feeling a little cold," Jin roared back from the din of the wind. She tried not to think about the fact that they were probably more than a hundred feet from the ground and if Appa were to convulse and throw them all off, she would probably die a particularly horrible and painful death.
"You never get used to it," Toph muttered, her voice sharp and brittle. It was a bit harder for her than Jin. She was blind and up there, sitting on Appa's saddle, she could see nothing since her feet were not placated on the nice, solid earth. She was in a sense, now utterly blind.
Jin nodded silently and answered another query of concern from Zuko before deciding that she needed to do something to distract herself. Stiffly, she craned her neck forward and tried to steal a look at the surroundings from below. They were long past gone from the Fire Nation territory, she realized with a start. The ground was thick and riddled with the signature, rocky Earth Kingdom terrain and thick, carpets of forests began to appear along the corners. The coastline started to thin into landlocked areas and the sandy, gravelly Fire Nation soil began to disappear. When they had crossed a particular area, a place that had small houses cluttered together with a huge, bigger house at the middle bordered by mountains in the north, east and west and a forest at the south, she quickly recognized it as her first home Li-Jien. And with that she knew. For some unfathomable reason Zuko had brought them to the Earth Kingdom, believing that Aang was there.
Apparently, Sokka realized it too because he finally stopped his long story about how he caught a whale shark and said, "Zuko, I don't want to tell you how to do your job but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? There's no way Aang's there."
Zuko barely turned to look at Sokka. He said, undeterred, "Just trust me."
They continued to fly on and Jin amused herself by looking at more scenery. Finally, Appa dipped downwards and Jin had to hold her stomach in as they made the gradual drop to the ground. Finally, they landed with a thud in a thick, forested area. Everyone quickly scrambled out and Zuko quickly helped Jin down.
"Fine! Ignore the blind girl!" Toph whined, though she managed to hop off Appa perfectly enough. They all made a few quick stretches and after Jin managed to get the feeling back in her arms she realized that noise and loud music and the sound of boisterous laughter were to be heard from her right. She turned at that direction and saw a building that was three stories high. People milled in and out of it and the lights looked low and dim.
Zuko grabbed her wrist and tugged at it and together, they silently entered the building. As soon as Jin stepped inside it, Jin immediately knew it was a tavern filled with drunken men and lowered inhibitions. She had accompanied her two elder brothers in enough bars to recognize the alcohol and all the intoxicated inebriation in the air.
Suddenly, thinking about her brothers made her feel a painful pang in her chest. Ge Jiang was gone but at least she knew that he was safe and that he could take care of himself. He Shen on the other hand was another matter. She had no idea or news of him whatsoever. He could be imprisoned or tortured…or…dead. Jin shuddered and refused to think about it.
"And the reason you brought us to a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern is what now ?" Katara warily demanded. She was obviously still a little suspicious about being here. Jin could remember the incident when she took Katara to the tavern. Jin on the other hand didn't really mind. Taverns were the best places to get information. She perfectly understood, at least to some extent, as to why Zuko brought them here.
Zuko wordlessly pointed in one direction and said dryly, "June."
Everyone turned to look at June, a tall slim but shapely woman sitting in one corner and dismissively sipping her tea as huge burly man lunged at her. She quickly stopped him with his leg and in one effortless motion, she pushed him down. Jin stared at her with a mixture of awe and fear, completely entranced with her graceful but dangerous movements. Everyone, along with Jin, gasped. June looked up and smile triumphantly, obviously pleased with all the attention.
"Oh yeah, that weird bounty hunter with a giant mole!" Sokka said with a start after he finally remembered who she was.
"Mole? Her skin is flawless," Suki said in a distracted voice, her eyes examining June with respect.
The fight continued on with June moving at a faster pace and a more confident swagger and her opponent looking more and more incompetent and ridiculous by the second. Sokka shook his head as he continued to watch and said, "No, she has this giant mole creature she rides around on."
June deftly dodged him, threw her tea up in the air and after giving him a good kick in the back, caught it once again and sipped it indifferently.
"Her shirshu. It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the World. It's the one shot we have of finding him," Zuko said.
Her opponent tried to throw punches at June. It narrowly missed her tea cup as she threw it up into the air. Time seemed to slow down as the tea cup rotated in the air as an angry and annoyed June threw the challenger over her shoulder when he tried to lunge at her. All the patrons widened their eyes and scrambled away as he landed on the table a second later, knocking off all the dishes on the table. June grabbed her falling tea cup without spilling any of its contents and all the merriment quickly ended. She turned away and drank her tea.
Toph smirked, her lips stretched into a wide smile and she said, "I don't know this June lady is but I like her."
"Hey, I remember her. She helped you attack us!" Sokka said with a start, his eyes set in a slightly accusing gaze.
"Yup, back in the good old days," Zuko sighed as he looked away from Sokka and ventured towards June.
June looked up and her expression was apathetic and almost dismissive. She said dryly, "Oh great, it's Prince Pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa?"
Zuko's eyes narrowed as she refilled her tea cup, his voice sharp as he said, "He's my Uncle, and he's not here."
Everyone else gathered around them and when June saw Katara she smirked and said, "I see you worked things out with your girlfriend."
Katara and Zuko immediately launched into a litany of denials and Jin tried to suppress her giggles at Katara and Zuko's reddened faces and embarrassed expressions. June gave a loud roar of a laughter and said, "Okay, okay, sheesh. I was only teasing."
She then sat back and said, "So what do you want?"
Zuko opened his mouth and began, "We need you too—''
"Hey, I was talking about what kind of tea you wanted. I just won a big payday today so drinks are all on me. If you're going to ask something it might as well be over a good cup of tea," June shrugged her expression patronizing and riddled with airy politeness.
Zuko, already annoyed and riled up, scowled, "We don't have time—''
"Hey, Ryu! Come over here and get their orders for tea! It's all on me!" Jun once again interrupted as she called over to a portly old man that was barrel-chested and had a thick neck the size of some people's thighs.
"Yeah, sure thing June," Ryu said as he waddled towards them.
Zuko was on the verge of breaking out and yelling at June. Jin had to grab his hand to keep him from bursting out into a full temperamental outburst as June idly said, "I'd let you have some beer or some rice wine but you're all underage so I guess it's just going to be tea for you kiddies."
Zuko hotly snapped once he realized that she was referring o them as children, "Look, here, we don't—''
"I'd like some lychee tea," Sokka interrupted as soon as Ryu had come over to them.
"What are you doing Sokka? We're supposed to be looking for Aang," Zuko hissed at him.
Sokka shrugged and said, "Hey, it's free tea. And it could take a long time for us to strike a deal up. Might as well drink some tea over it."
Everyone was enthusiastic over the idea, except for Zuko, and June was perfectly satisfied and amused that she had managed to annoy Zuko to such a great extent. She had not forgotten all the fuss Zuko and his uncle had caused her, not to mention the fact that he refused to pay her because he claimed that she didn't do her job properly. Irritating him and riling him up seemed like such a wonderful way to extract revenge.
"Green tea for me," Katara said as Ryu faced her.
"Same here," Suki chorused.
"I'd like some red tea," Toph ordered as soon as Katara and Suki were done giving there's.
"Lychee as well," Zuko said through gritted teeth.
Finally Jin spoke up and said, "Jasmine for me, please."
And when she did so, June suddenly looked at her direction and it seemed as if she had finally noticed Jin for the first time since they had gotten there. She squinted her eyes and examined Jin, an analytical and almost calculating look glazing over her as she stared at Jin from up and down. Jin felt ridiculously uncomfortable as June pursed her lips and continued look at her.
Finally, much to everyone's shock and surprise, June suddenly sprang up and made a motion to grab Jin by the shoulder. Jin quickly avoided it and blocked June's hand with her wrist. June's eyes narrowed and Jin tried to understand what could have possibly driven her to suddenly attack her like this. Zuko said something from behind her but before she could process whatever he was trying to say June quickly followed-up with another punch and soon enough the two of them were engaged in a fight with Jin trying to parry many of June's swift blows.
Suddenly a wall of fire came between them and Zuko, who had been previously trying to keep all his anger and impatience in, was now ready to let it all out, especially since June had just attacked his girlfriend. He snapped, "What's going on with you two?"
"She attacked me first!" Jin accused, her eyes narrowed, her shoulders tensed.
June pursed her lips once again before assuming a more relaxed stance. Jin however continued to look at June suspiciously, a little paranoid that this might be another trick. June noticing Jin's suspicion merely shrugged and gave a dismissive wave, "Sorry. Old habits."
"What are you talking about! You just attacked my girlfriend for no reason!" Zuko raged, flecking specks of his saliva at June as he ranted. Behind him, Katara, Sokka, Suki and Toph stood in silence, trying to assess the situation.
"She's your girlfriend?" June snickered.
Zuko snapped, "That's not the—''
"I hope you're treating her nicely! Otherwise she'll scram like the other one," June said through fits of laughter as she jerked a thumb at Katara. Katara's face visibly reddened.
Zuko lost all his patience and he roared, threatening her with a flame that burst from his palm, "Enough! Answer my question!"
Jin narrowed her eyes as June said easily, "She's got a huge bounty on her head, Pouty. I'm a bounty hunter you idiot. What do you expect me to do?"
Jin's tension eased a little once she had heard this. At least now she knew that June wasn't attacking her because she simply felt like it. Zuko on the other hand, wasn't as appeased. He ranted on, "So you were just planning to turn her over to the Fire Nation!"
June as always answered with an apathetic yawn. She sighed airily and said, "No that bounty's really small compared to the other one being offered to me."
"What? What do you mean?" Jin asked curiously. Someone else had offered a bounty for her. Truth to be told, Jin wasn't really sure who else would want to get a hold of her. She had been keeping a relatively low profile since she nearly got herself killed from trying to steal from the mayor's house. Aside from that, she wasn't anyone special or important like Zuko who was the exiled Prince of the fire Nation or Toph who was the runaway daughter of a rich, noble man.
"Matches the description and the picture. Tall, slim, slender but shapely, small nose, big, wide green or hazel eyes, soft, rounded jaw-line, choppy, straight, uneven hair…..now if I can get Nyla to sniff her out then I'd be pretty sure," June muttered, mostly to herself.
"No one's sniffing her out," Zuko protectively said as he stepped in front of Jin.
June's lips suddenly curved into a smile and she said, "Of course no one would be sniffing her out because now I'm pretty sure, she's the one."
She easily sidestepped Zuko, leaned forward and before Jin could stop her, her hands stretched towards her necks, tightened around a cord that hung from her neck and in one swift motion, she pulled it out for all to see. Jin paled a little. It was her identification tablet with the small piece of jagged jade at the side. How could she have known? Jin immediately knew that whoever was asking for her, was someone she knew personally. She allowed herself to experience the surge of hope that rose from her chest, bringing in the possibility that it might be her father looking for her and that he might actually care.
"You're not going to get her for your bounty," Zuko said through gritted teeth.
June folded her arms and smirked. She looked at Jin with a glint in her eyes and she said, "I know all of you need me to do something."
"I need your help finding the Avatar," Zuko said his voice now sounding a little anxious. He had a feeling that he knew where June was trying to go at this.
"Hmph. Doesn't sound too fun," June said as she leaned back and took another sip of her tea.
Zuko roared, "Does the end of the World sound like more fun ?"
"No, but you know what would sound more fun? Money in my hands," June said as she gave one more meaningful look in Jin's direction.
"Forget it," Zuko said forcefully.
"Well, you and your little friends can forget about the Avatar as well," June simply said as she grabbed a chair and sat down. Zuko faced turned into a violent shade of vermilion as he tried to figure out if he should burn June alive or try to be amiable enough to strike a deal.
"Okay, I'll do it," Jin sighed wearily before Zuko could open his mouth and say something stupid.
Everyone looked in her direction and their jaws dropped. Zuko looked especially shocked.
"You can't do this!" Zuko said.
"Are you crazy! You're going to allow yourself to get turned over to some freak who paid lots of money just to get you caught!" Sokka said, his jaws dropping.
"She's obviously not going to help us unless I do so. We're wasting time!" Jin said as she stamped her foot.
"I'm not going to let you do this!" Zuko said as he grabbed her wrist.
"Oh, lighten up Pouty. The one who asked for your girl won't kill her or anything. He just wanted to talk to her," June said in what she supposed was to be her reassuring voice.
Zuko didn't feel too appeased. He protested, "I won't—''
"Whoever he is, he knows me. How else would he have known about this?" Jin said as she gestured at the identification tablet and jade.
"It's okay you guys," Jin said as soon as she realized that everyone still looked reluctant and hesitant.
"But—''
"If it gets too bad, then I'll fight. Come on, Zuko. Please. For Aang," Jin said as she reached out and grabbed Zuko's hand pleadingly. Zuko looked at her and firmly shook his head.
"Smiley's right, Sparky. She's gotta do this," Toph spoke up.
Zuko looked at her and snarled, "No, she doesn't have to—''
"I do have to. And the sooner you let me, the sooner we can find Aang," Jin said her eyes determined and steely.
Zuko shook his head and said, "But—''
"She's tough, Sparky. And I would know because she's my student and I taught her. She can handle herself," Toph said once again.
Zuko closed his eyes, silently mulling it over. Then he let out a long, deep sigh and he said, "Where is he now?"
June looked at him and said, "Who?"
"The guy who wanted to you to catch Jin," Zuko said impatiently.
"Out in the back taking a nap," June said.
Jin took a deep breath and she removed her hand from Zuko's. She took a step forward and nodded at June who gestured at her to wait and said, "Stay here. First, I'll get my bounty before you get over there."
She turned around and disappeared into the back leaving Zuko to fume in silence. Jin sighed and she quietly toyed with the hem of her blouse, nervous and anxious as to whom it might be. Everyone else said nothing except Katara who told Jin that they would be outside and in the event of her ever needing them, all she had to do was scream and cry out. Finally June came back, a drawstring bag that clinked heavily with coins in her right hand, her left hand gesturing at Jin to go into the back.
"He's in one of his moods but I'm sure he won't bite, right away," June smirked, her eyes narrowed with malice. Jin ignored her and went forward, giving a quick goodbye to everyone else and pushing past June.
As she left Zuko cried, "If he tries anything funny, call out for me!"
She moved forward and weaved herself through the intoxicated men and loud, brash women to reach a small door outfitted at the back. Her palms became sweaty and her chest tightened as numerous possibilities of who might be behind that door—all of them being murderous and sadistic—flitted through her head. Finally, once she stood in front of the door staring at it, trying to figure out what she could do if indeed he was someone violent and not someone she knew. She sighed and decided to just simply get it over with. She stretched her hand out towards the latched and gripped it.
Just as she was about to open it she heard the faint sound of someone singing loudly. She suddenly knew who it was. And she felt excited. She quickly opened the door, her anxiety quickly being replaced with that of anticipation. The door swung open and Jin's previously elated feelings quickly dropped as soon as she saw the figure before her.
He was leaning against the wall, his hands strumming the liuqin vacantly, and his lips moving wildly as he sang a song that was incomprehensible. His eyes were sharp and wild as if he was looking at an unspeakable and unbearable horror right now but at the same time it was glazed and vacant as if his mind was truly not there. His long hair, which had always been messy, had grown so much longer and they now occupied a great portion of his face. His shirt was ragged and torn and it showed off numerous bruises, cuts, burns and scars and his long, fine nose now had a slight bump at the bridge, an indication that it might have been broken at one point or the other. A huge gash spread across his upper lip and his hands which continued to strum at the liuqin were knotted and hardened.
Jin's voice cracked and tears leaked at the corners of her eyes as she said, "He Shen."
Everyone of them gathered around June as she cajoled and snuggled up to her shirsu, Nyla. Zuko found it beyond disgusting that she actually treated her shirsu, an animal, a lot better and more decently than most people. He refused to participate or indirectly address her as everyone clamored closer as her shirsu sniffed at Aang's staff because he was still annoyed at the fact she had made Jin go off to some unknown man because of a bounty. He continued to stand there at the corner, sulking in such an angry fashion as Nyla circled around them , trying desperately to catch Aang' s scent.
Finally, Nyla scrambled back, in front of June and lowered herself unto the ground, rubbing her snout against her paws.
"Well, what does that mean?" Toph demanded.
June looked worried but she said in her usual dismissive manner, "It means your friend's gone."
Everyone stilled and Zuko finally broke out from his angry stupor to pay attention. They all crowded around June, nervous and at the same time curious at what being gone could possibly mean.
"We know he's gone, that's why we're trying to find him," Toph said impatiently, voicing what was in everyone's thoughts.
"No, I mean he's gone gone. He doesn't exist," June said as she turned her back at them. Everyone visibly tensed, worried and afraid of this new development.
"What do you mean Aang doesn't exist? Do you mean he's… you know, dead?" Sokka demanded as he wrung his hands in frustration and worry. Zuko's chest tightened at the possibility. If he died, then they would all be doomed and everything he and everyone went through would be for nothing. Also, how horrible would it be for Aang, a mere twelve year old who had not lived most of his life yet. He sincerely hoped that it wasn't the case.
"Nope, we could find him if he were dead," June said. Zuko felt considerably lighter as soon as she said that but his mood was once again dampened by the apologetic and sad expression on June's face.
"Ah, it's a real head scratcher. I can't help you. See ya," June shrugged as she patted her shirsu and made a turn to leave.
"Helpful, real helpful. We just herded Smiley off to a potential freak for nothing," Toph said as she shook her head.
Thinking about Jin, made Zuko all the more determined. He was firm and resolved to make sure that this meeting with June was not going to waste. He grabbed her shoulder and said, "Wait."
June looked at him and raised a brow as everyone stared at Zuko curiously. He faced the group and said, "I have another idea. There's only one other person in this World who can help us face the Fire Lord."
He turned around and faced June, saying with resolve, "I'll be right back with a smell sample."
He Shen looked up and Jin nearly burst into tears when she saw that his eyes betrayed a look that said that something was not quite right with him or his mind. His fingers continued to strum at the liuqin vacantly, his lips continued to move as he sing an unintelligible song that was loud and high-pitched and odd at some notes. He looked at Jin, his eyes wide with fear as if he could not recognize her, his own sister.
"Shen?" Jin said, this time her voice barely a whisper.
He Shen stopped singing and he narrowed his eyes and stared her. He then said his voice slightly suspicious and accusing, "Is it really you, Jin? Was that June lady telling the truth! Is it really you?"
His voice was riddled with so much urgency and brokenness that Jin immediately reacted on impulse. She rushed towards him and hugged him. He became rigid and he tried to forcibly pry Jin away from him in rushed, frantic movements. Jin however held on steadfastly and she clutched and held unto he brother resolutely.
"It's me He Shen. It's me Jin, your sister," Jin said in a sad and broken voice as she hugged him. He Shen remained stiff and unmoving, his eyes narrow and suspicious.
"How do I know that it really you?" he demanded, his voice a little harsh.
"You gave her—June—the money. You must've believed her," Jin said, her voice filled with desperation.
"I only gave her half. I need to know if it's really you, Jin, my sister, first before I give her the other half," He Shen said, his voice still tight and severe.
Jin fingered her identification tablet and showed it to him and she said in desolation, "He Shen, it is me. Jin."
He Shen looked at it and he looked at Jin full in the face and it seemed as if he had finally recognized her. He wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug and began to sob brokenly, "Jin…Jin…Oh Spirits I thought I'd never see you or Jiang again….I mean I tried to find the two of you…there was this bounty hunter who said she could find you but she needed some of your stuff to smell you out or something but I didn't have any and I thought…..Oh Spirits!"
He continued to sob against her, his tears gently wetting Jin's cheeks and rolling down in big, great drops at her hands. His cries rose into big, great, howling moans and Jin had to keep herself from breaking out into tears as well. Suddenly, it seemed as if his momentary lapse in sanity had gone because he started to whisper under his breath, "They're all after me…they're all after me…they're all going to kill me…they'll all cut off my hands and feet and burn me alive…."
"He Shen, no one's after you! You're safe now—''
He suddenly pushed her aside and waved his liuqin in a threatening manner at Jin. Jin's eyes widened as her brother brandished it and yelled at her, "I know who you are! You can't hurt me! I'll get to you first!"
"He Shen no one's out to get you! It's me! Jin! Your sister!" Jin yelled, losing all traces of control as she watched her brother crumble into madness.
He Shen stared at her before turning around and clutching his head wailing to himself, "How do I know you're not trying to trick me!"
"Because I'm your sister and I would never trick you!" Jin said. She shook her head. This could not be happening again. Her brother could not be going crazy because of war. Just like her father. What had they done to him to turn him into this? Jin's hands began to shake as He Shen muttered in a fast manner, again and again, as if he was repeating it to make himself understand better, "She's my sister not a Firebender…she's my sister not a Firebender…she's my sister not a Firebender…she's my sister not a Firebender!"
A chunk of the earthen wall flew off and it hurtled towards Jin. Jin quickly earthbent it into the side and she turned around and saw Zuko, his face pale and his mouth drawn.
"What the—''
"What do you want?" Jin hissed.
"We have to go now. We need to look for my uncle," Zuko said as he stared suspiciously at He Shen. He Shen glared back at him, his eyes twitching and his fingers rapidly strumming the liuqin.
"There's a Firebender…." He Shen murmured and the tune he was playing on his liuqin grew faster. He then once again pointed it at Zuko and hollered, "I'm not telling you anything! You'll not get a word out of me on where the Avatar is or where the other Resistance members are! You'll never break me!"
Jin's heart almost broke when he said that. He was already broken. She strode towards him and tried to calm him down as she stroked his back and sang a quiet song and said comforting words. Zuko watched at a good distance, slightly puzzled and confused. He Shen lapsed into a momentary state of sanity and he closed his eyes and shook and said brokenly to Jin, "I'm sorry. I forget sometimes."
Jin whispered, "It's okay. It's okay to forget."
She then turned around and pushed Zuko outside and called out to He Shen, "I'm going to be back Shen. Just wait here. I'm going to be back."
He Shen didn't answer her. Instead he faced the wall and closed his eyes, strumming his liuqin at such a loud volume as if he was desperately trying to block a particularly painful sound out.
As soon as the door closed from behind her, Jin's shoulders sagged and she closed back her eyes, trying to force the tears back into their ducts. Her hands clutched the hem of her shirt tightly and she tried to calm herself down as Zuko looked at her worriedly. Much to Jin's relief, Zuko clutched her and stroked her hair and said nothing about it.
Despite him not asking though, Jin murmured into his chest in dry, racked sobs, "That was my brother back there. That was He Shen."
One thing that I noticed about the series was how they never really showed one of the dire effects of war. I mean sure they showed each and every character's struggle to heal and overcome their grief at some episodes but they never really touched on the fact that war does produce lots of psychological damages. I guess since it is a show aimed towards younger demographics, mental deterioration and madness gained from the war or torture is something too heavy to show to children. He Shen here, is kind of the embodiment of one of war's cruel effects—insanity. Not as far-fetched as some of you may imagine. I know many war veterans who are beyond curable and are currently residing in psychiatric wards and most of them who gets affected by this are usually those who participated in war, firsthand itself—they actually went in battles and skirmishes, got tortured for information and got captured.
Anyway, next chapter update would probably be in like May something. I'm taking a study tour to China and I heard that lots of websites are blocked there. I'm not sure if is one of those blocked websites. If it's not then I encourage you to tell me so perhaps it would not take me a month to update. I'm already starting on the next chapter.
Anyways thanks again to those who added this story to their favorites, story alerted this and added me a as a favorite author.
Thanks to those who reviewed: Analie Janes (sorry for the grammatical errors but sometimes I get so tired of proofreading the chapters sometimes that I just upload it right away. I'll try to keep them to minimum), ArrayePL, Panther-Strife, Shakeru, tgbwe, ogreking, jrba95.
Please, please always read and review.