More Than Just Friends
Chapter 7: Freedom with a Hint of Fight
Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA (Sadly)
A/N: I will be doing this in first person of Jamie's POV. We won't see any Zuko in this chapter, but don't worry he will come back in the next… hopefully haha anyways enjoy! Also, all of my references will be listed at the bottom, since I have to give credit to the original authors and I don't feel like being arrested for copyright, or plagiarism.
I sat up straight and sighed loudly. My back was killing me from sitting side saddle on this ostrich-horse, I looked in the direction we were going and looked back at the soldier. "Where are we?" I asked. He looked down at me and rolled his eyes.
"We are about an hour away from a small town." I groaned and looked ahead again wondering what I could say to get him to stop.
"I have to go to the bathroom…" I hope this works.
"Hold it, we are almost to the town." I knew once we got to that town there was no way I would be able to escape then, so I have to keep trying.
"But I can't hold it! Would you rather me pee right here on your lap or behind a tree?" I said looking up at him glaring.
"Okay fine I will pull over." He pulled over into the forest and he helped me down then got down after me. I held my chains up to him asking to take them off. "No way, you're going to have to learn to go to the bathroom in chains. Might as well start now." He glared at me and I shrugged and went behind the tree.
I turned around and watched him until he turned his back to the tree to give me 'privacy'. I rolled my eyes and held tightly onto my chains and jumped on his back and wrapped my chains around his neck. He grabbed ahold of the chain trying to pull it off, but I held on tighter pulling as hard as I could. He backed into the tree and knocked the wind out of me and I loosened my grip. He was able to get the chain off of his neck and he turned around to hit me but I hit the ground dodging his fist and I kicked the back of his legs making him fall face forward into the ground. I kicked him in the ribs and then brought my heel down onto the back of his head and he fell to the ground unconscious. I sighed a breath of relief and I rolled him over and searched his pockets for his keys to the chains. I was just trying to stick the key into the lock when I heard someone walk up behind me.
"What are you doing?" I sighed not daring to look behind me afraid it might be another earth kingdom soldier, so I hurry to get my chains off so I am ready to fight if it is. Since I didn't answer I felt a strong muscular hand on my shoulder and pull me onto my back so they can see my face. "What are you doing?" I'm confused, it's not an earth kingdom soldier, it's a boy, or a young man, maybe my age. He has dark brown hair that's pretty long for a man, it hangs down and covers his eyes almost. He has a little darker skin like mine and brown eyes. His face is very angular and he chews on what looks to be grass. He has swords strapped to his back and looks to be dressed in armor. I just stare at him confused on why he is out here. Immediately I realize I am still in my undergarments and see that he is staring back at me as well. "Who are you, and why are you shackled?"
I feel extremely embarrassed and cover myself the best I can, "I'm Jamie, and I'm from the Northern Water Tribe. I was captured by this man," I said gesturing to the unconscious soldier next to me. I totally lied about where I was from, I don't want to be known as Fire Nation in these parts of the world. You never know when someone will kill you for being Fire Nation. "I was with some friends bathing in a hot springs about a day west from here when we were capture. They were able to get away, but the soldier I was with took off with me." The man looked very concerned. He kneeled down next to me and held out his hands. I gave him a confused look as to what he wanted me to do when he grabbed my hands and the key and took off my chains. "Thank you," I smiled, "who are you?"
"The name's Jet." He smirked and helped me stand up. I smiled and looked up into his greyish green eyes.
"You've been through a lot…" I sighed and brushed his hair away from his face. He frowned and pulled away. "I can see it, in your eyes. I see it in all of my friends. The dullness of the eyes shows a sign of loss." I took a step closer to Jet. "Who did you lose?"
"My parents. They were killed by firebenders when I was eight. The group calls themselves the Rough Rhinos. Ever since then I have trained myself to be a swordsman. I gather kids from around here who have lost people they love to the Fire Nation. We call ourselves Freedom Fighters." He smirked as a few kids walked up. I smiled and looked around at their faces.
"Do you train all of them?" I smiled as I looked up at Jet. He smirked and nodded his head. He looked down at my semi-naked body and I looked down and blushed realizing that I had no clothes on. "I'm so sorry, they captured me when I was taking a bath…" I blushed brightly.
"Don't worry we have some extra clothes for you." Jet smiled and took my hand walking towards some trees. "Hang onto me," he smirked and spun me around into his arms as he grabbed a rope. He pulled on it and then it wizzed us through the air. I laughed and looked around. You could see for miles under these trees. We were pulled into the tops of the tall trees and then I see the mile long tree house.
My eyes widened and I looked at Jet. "Did you build this?" He nodded and we landed softly on our feet. He led me into one of the huts closer to where we landed and called for someone. A young lady about my age came into the room, she had bright green eyes and dark brown hair to her buttocks braided so beautifully with flowers marking each crossover. She was absolutely beautiful.
"Kushala, will you please bring our new guest some clothes? She is in dire need of them." He smiled sweetly at her and she nodded and hurried away. Jet turned back to me and smiled, "how do you like it?"
"Like what? This place? It's amazing! I've never seen a tree house so big, so communic-like." He laughed a little and nodded.
"Yeah, I spent years building it with every person I recruited to the freedom fighters." I smiled and looked around noticing some younger kids running around.
"Why are some so young?"
Jet sighed and looked down. "Some of the women we recruited were raped by Fire Nation. I'm not one for half-breeds, but they begged to have their babies spared." A flash of disgust flashed over Jet's face as he said that. Soon Kushala came back and brought me some new clothes. I thanked her and she left.
A short little boy with a helmet came running over to Jet along with a very massive man walking just behind him. I admired his height and build, I smirked as I thought 'I bet Zuko couldn't even take him.' The little boy stopped right in front of Jet, "We found the Fire Nation camp. It's not far from here, but we should leave now just in case they get up and leave."
Jet nodded his head as he seemed to think for a minute. "Alright, get the fighters together. Jamie you will stay here and help some of the women make dinner and put the children to bed. We will be back by nightfall." He turned and walked away with the little boy, and the very large man walking behind him.
I walked over to Kushala after putting the clothes that she gave me on. "Kushala? Hi, I'm Jamie." I smiled and waved. "Is there any way I can help?"
She smiled back politely and nodded, "The women split taking care of the children and making food. I am on children duty tonight. How are you with kids?"
"Um, I haven't really been in contact with children for a while, but I've always been good with children. I even have a couple stories up my sleeve." I smiled and puffed up my chest quite proudly. Kushala laughed and nodded as she led me to one of the huts that was little bit larger than the others.
"This is where the children sleep. We usually bathe them, feed them, and then we tell them stories before we put them to bed. Since you are new we will have you take the younger ones. If that is alright with you? The older ones are a little more difficult to deal with."
"Of course! I actually have a little brother back home. He just turned one before I left home." I smiled as I remember him, so innocent, so adorable. My little brother, Taiyo-ni, means Red Sun. Zhao was resilient on naming him himself. My mother wanted to name him Hideki, meaning excellent bright. I smiled as I thought about him. I picked up a child the same size as Tai was when I left, he smiled at me and I saw the single tooth growing. "Well aren't you a cutie?" I smiled as I put him on my hip and grabbed another child's hand as I followed Kushala. I helped bathe the children with Kushala, I was wondering what her name meant or if it had no meaning like mine. Zhao hated the name my parents gave me, so he named me after a tea. "Kushala, does your name have meaning?" I smiled at her.
She looked up and nodded with a small smile, "My mother died in child birth, so my father had to name me. The love of his life was ripped away, and all he had left was me. I made him happy, so he named me Kushala: happy, safe, expert. I'm guessing he thought I would be an expert at something right?" She laughed and I looked quite a bit confused. "He was an earthbender, a very good one too. When he found out I wasn't he gave me up to the Fire Nation as a slave. That's when Jet found me." She sighed. "Jet and I fell in love, or so I thought. I guess he was just using me to seduce firebenders." She looked down. "I've never felt so used."
I frowned, I practically know her. My family gave me away to Fire Nation. "I am so sorry." I gave her half a smile trying to cheer her up. "I'm sure this isn't where you were meant to be forever. Taking care of babies that aren't yours. Have you ever thought of running away?" She nodded, but didn't answer.
We were able to get all of the children bathed, fed, and ready for bed. All that was left was a story and then off to bed. I smiled as I sat in front of at least ten children. Some just under the age of ten, others no older than one. I was excited to tell them one of my favorite stories of all time. "Oh the places you'll go. Congratulations! Today is your day! You're off to great places! Your off and away!" I smiled as I spoke as the children laughed, I pointed to some of them as if I was speaking to them. I bended some water out of a flask and bended shapes that went along with the story and the children laughed along and smiled.
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go." I pointed to each other children as I spoke to make it more personal to them. "You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, 'I don't choose to go there.' With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street."
I smiled hoping that this story will change the lives of these children as it did for me. My mother, Zhao's wife, would tell me this story to me every night I went to bed. I wrote down what I remembered every night so I could one day tell it to my children. I guess this is close enough, "And you may not find any you'll want to go down. In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town. Its opener there in the wide open air. Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you." Some of the children were starting to fall asleep, while others seemed to be genuinely interested in what I was going to say next.
"And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too. OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!" I exclaimed, a couple of the kids laughed other yawned and smiled. "You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest." I smiled as some of the boys puffed out their chest as if they couldn't wait to go out and join an army to be the best of the best.
I got serious as the next line came up, "Except when you don't. Because, sometimes, you won't. I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a Lurch." I took a deep breath as I watched the children and then decided to continue. "You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump. And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done."
I watched as some of the ladies started to sit down and actually listen to my story, now very interested. A part of me hoped that it would inspire them to be more than just care takers. "You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win? And IF you go in, should you turn left or right… or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind." Some of the children started to fall asleep and I was quite proud of myself, but I decided to continue.
"You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place. The Waiting Place… for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a YES or NO or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting." I paused when a child raised their hand.
"Miss Jamie, what is a plane?" Another child chimed in, "Or a bus?" and then all of a sudden a whole bunch of children had questions. "What is a phone?" "What's snow?" "What is mail?" "What's a train?" I smiled and laughed a little.
"A train is a form of transportation, it can carry people or things." I used water to bend each object as I explained them. "Same thing with the bus. But a plane is a myth. It's a form of transportation that could fly…" I smiled as some of the children's eyes lit up. "A phone is a way to talk to someone that isn't in the same room as you, which is also a myth a lot like the plane. But I'll tell you a secret if you promise not to tell." I winked as all of the children nodded. "I hear the Fire Nation is working on inventing these so called myths." Some of the women gasped, and all of the children smiled and started talking amongst themselves saying things like 'Why can't we be Fire Nation?' 'That's so cool.' 'We should invent the myths.'
I decided to continue the story to keep the children from talking about the Fire Nation. "Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for weekend night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jack or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting. NO!" I screamed and all of the children and women jumped. "That's not for you! Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying. You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you're that kind of a guy!"
"Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV." I paused to explain that TV was another myth that even I didn't quite understand. I called it a play on a blank canvas. "Except when they don't. Because, sometimes, they won't. I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you. All Alone! Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot. And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon that can scare you so much you won't want to go on."
Most of the children fell asleep and the women started to carry them to bed, but I looked to Kushala to see if I should finish and she nodded so I continued. "But on you will go through the weather be foul. On you will go through your enemies prowl. Oh you will go through the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, through your arms may get sore and your shoes may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are. You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left."
I saw a few figures sneak into the room, but I didn't look away from the children who were still intently listening. "And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! 98 and ¾ percent guaranteed. KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS! So… be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!" I smiled as all the little children clapped for me. Then I heard a louder slower clap coming from the back of the room. I look up and see Jet and I smile at him and walk over to him. "Did you like my story?"
"Very." He smirks as he looks down at me. "There are some people I would like you to meet. I think you would like them. ." Turns without saying anything and walks out of the room. I follow Jet out of the room, very nervous, not sure why Jet thinks I would like them. He walks up to three people standing next to each other talking and at first I only see a girl and boy in blue. They turn around and smile when Jet walks up. "Katara, Sokka, I think you would be glad to know someone from your sister tribe. This is Jamie." He gestures to me as I walk up and I smile.
"Hi, there." I hold my arm out to shake like they do in our culture. "It's very nice to meet you." The girl smiles and grabs my arm and shakes it.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Katara, and this is my brother Sokka. We are actually on our way to the North Pole to teach the Avatar waterbending!" She seems nice… I look behind them and notice a small bald boy, probably a monk. His eyes wide when he notices where he has seen me from and I start to panic.
"Wait… I've seen you before…" the boy says. "Who did you say you were?"
"My name is Jasmine, I am from the Northern Water Tribe." I say nervously. "You can call me Jamie…" He nods and brushes it off, I assume he doesn't want to say anything since he doesn't know much. "You are travelling to the North Pole to learn waterbending?" The three nod and I smile. "I was actually taken from my home when I was very young and never got the chance to learn. Slowly, I've been learning, but could I travel with you?" The boy's eyes light up and he smiles.
"Of course! Maybe you could teach me and Katara what we don't know if you do happen to be more experienced than us." The girl nods and smiles in agreement.
"I would be delighted! Maybe you could teach me what you know?"
Katara spoke up quite hesitantly. "We don't know a lot but we could definitely teach you to the best of our ability."
Jet smiled. "Alright! Now that everyone is introduced, let's eat!" He walked away and the rest of us followed him. I felt quite happy finally meeting someone like me, I've never met another waterbender before and I especially never met someone from my sister tribe. We sat down at this long table and started to eat; Kushala walked around the table and poured everyone a glass of wine before Jet stood to give a speech. He looked at Katara, the bald boy, and I and smiled, "Now that we have you three, you can help us save the small Earth Kingdom village not far from here."
I smiled back and nodded, "Of course, Jet." Katara and the bald boy nodded in agreement. After dinner we parted and Jet came up to Katara, the bald boy, Sokka, and I and told us that Sokka and him will go scout before he takes the waterbenders to help fill the river so they can help defend against forest fires and any fires that the Fire Nation soldiers set. We went to our separate rooms and on my way to mine the bald boy stopped me.
"Jamie?" He looked at me quite confused. "I saw you on that Fire Nation ship… Can you explain to me why a waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe was doing on a Fire Nation ship? I didn't want to say anything to Jet or the others, just in case what you say is true…"
I sighed. "Okay, I'll tell you. But not out here." I lead him inside my room and sat on the floor and he followed me. "I was taken from my home when I was five or so. This nasty man named Zhao took me and claims he adopted me… Honestly I don't remember anything from when I lived there, and I can barely waterbend." I was afraid to tell him, thinking he might disown me because I'm technically Fire Nation. "Prince Zuko, the boy who is chasing you; I travel with him and his Uncle. I've been hoping to get back to my tribe eventually, but I honestly gave up on that idea." I looked down, "I guess I am Fire Nation…"
The boy sighed and I looked up to his frowning face, "I'm really sorry to hear that you were taken from your home. Katara, Sokka, and I are going to the North Pole to learn waterbending; do you want to go with us?" He smiled softly with hopeful eyes.
I smiled so wide and brightly as I nodded. "I would love to! Thank you so much-" I paused. I realized I didn't know this boy's name. "What is your name?" I asked him.
"Aang, I'm an airbender, and of course the Avatar, but you already knew that."
I laughed a little as he smiled. "Well thank you Aang for inviting me." I smiled as he got up to leave and I laid down on my mat with a smile on my face. "I get to go home…"
~Next Day~
I woke up to screaming, and arguing. I get up and go outside my hut and see Katara and her brother Sokka arguing. "Hey, what's going on?" I ask as I move closer to separate them.
"Jet is up to no good!" Sokka yells. "He attacked an old man." I sighed and looked at Katara.
"Jet wouldn't do that," Katara said.
"I wouldn't do what?" We all turn our head and see Jet walking up to us.
"Sokka is accusing you of attacking an old man." Katara spat.
Jet pinched the bridge of his nose, "It's not an accusation Katara. I did, but only because he came to attempt to assassinate me." He holds up a dagger. "He was going to use this… There is even a compartment for poison." He unscrews the very end of the dagger handle and shows us a little vial of red poison. Katara and I gasp as Sokka rolls his eyes.
"You can't possibly believe him?!" Sokka says angrily.
"Sokka, you didn't see it because you walked away too soon." Jet sighs. "I'm really sorry Katara. You can leave…" Jet looks down at the ground. "But I was kind of hoping that you, Jamie, and Aang could help me with something."
Katara sighs and nods, "What is it Jet?"
"Well the River is running low, and I'm afraid we won't be able to defend if a fire breaks loose in the forest. Will you please help us get more water into the river? There are underground geysers that could help." Sokka gets irritated and runs off.
Katara nods, "Of course we will help! Right Jamie?" I sigh and look at Jet then at Katara.
"No Katara I think I'm going to sit this one out. Plus I already told Kushala that I would help her train the young girls on how to do womanly jobs…" I turn and walk away to find Kushala. I'm almost too afraid to find out what Jet is up to. I don't think I can trust Jet after how fake he acted in front of Katara. I knew he was fake but I didn't know he would do things to frame an old man to get a girl's attention.
Later that day Sokka came running up to me. "Jamie, I think Jet is going to flood the town…" My eyes widen and I look around to see if anyone heard. "We need to go evacuate the town before he blows up the dam." I nodded.
"We won't get there in time though… Jet left over an hour ago with Aang and Katara."
"We can ride Appa." Sokka takes my hand and runs to the edge of the tree house. He looks at me and smirks. "Jump!" He jumps off the ledge and my heart sinks. I shake my head and jump after him and shortly land on Appa. I laugh and look at Sokka.
"You are one crazy water bender…" I smile and Sokka laughs.
"I'm actually not a bender." He smirks and I frown.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea…" He shrugs.
"No big deal. Now let's go save these people." He slaps the reins and yells, "Yip! Yip!" and we take off towards the town. When we get there we jump off Appa and run towards the town and start letting people know what's going on. "We need to evacuate! There are people in the forest looking to destroy the town."
I run over to one of the Fire Nation guards. "Hi, my name is Jasmine. I am one of Prince Zuko's friends. It is very important that you get everyone out of here." I try to speak softly so Sokka doesn't hear me. "Please you have to listen to the water tribe boy. There are people out to get you." He nods and turns and waves at his fellow guards.
"Let's get everyone out!" They all start rounding everyone up and Sokka looks at me and smiles.
"We have to get to high ground!" Sokka starts to lead everyone up to the top of the nearest hill. I see a little girl crying and I run over to her.
"Hey," I kneel down next to her. "What's wrong?"
She looks at me through her tears, "I can't find my doll."
"I'll find it for you. Go with your mommy so you will be safe okay?" I smile and she nods and runs off toward her mother. I look around and start looking for her doll. I hear explosions go off when I see the doll sitting on the ground in front of a small house just across the way. I run over and then I hear the water rushing toward the town. I grab the doll and head for the entrance. I make it to the edge of the hill just as I hear the water hit the edge of the town. I hear windows break as I run up the hill. I stop at the top and catch my breath. I smile when I see the little girl. I walk over and kneel down next to her. "Is this your doll?" I smile as I hold it up to her. Her eyes light up and she hugs me.
"Thank you so much!" She laughs as I hug her back and hand her the doll. "You are very brave." She smiles.
I stand up and her mother smiles at me. "Thank you, you didn't have to do that."
I smile and shrug, "You might have thought that I didn't need to, but if it was my little brother I would have either way." I walk over to Sokka and smile. "Can we leave now?" He nods and we go over to Appa and hop on. We fly back to the bottom of the tree house and find Katara, Aang, and Jet. Although Jet was frozen to a tree. Aang and Katara hop on Appa and Sokka and I give them a look as if saying "that went well."
Katara frowned, "I don't want to talk about it." She crossed her arms and sat with her back to us.
"I guess my instincts were correct after all." Sokka said in a mocking tone, then a snow ball whizzed passed my head and hit Sokka in the back. "Hey!" Aang and I laughed. I think I'm going to like hanging out with these guys.
A/N: Well I didn't get this updated when I originally planned for it to be updated, but I did get it done before school started up again. I do apologize for the wait, so you know it will be a long while before I get the next chapter updated. I'm in college now and quite busy. Anyways here are my references to the names that aren't in ATLA originally, and of course Jamie's story. Also, the episode Jet actually doesn't happen till after the waterbending scroll but I'm going to switch these two around. The next chapter will be on the waterbending scroll, so please sit tight!
Tai and Kushala were taken from an article on , the name of the article is "Guide to naming Avatar OCs- Updated Water, Air, Fire and Earth"
Jamie's story is of course Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss if you already didn't know that.
Thank you so much for reading, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or even criticism please feel free to REVIEW or to even just message me.