Fight 14: Soaring Dragon – Crouching Tigers
Chenlian looked at Katara, at Jet, Aang, Sokka, and all of the Freedom Fighters, closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. When she opened them again, there was a strong and firm resolution.
"As a matter of fact, I am." She answered simply, once more producing a flame above her outstretched palm. She made it vanish and chaos erupted with her at the center. She became the target of vociferated insults, threats, of their hatred and resentment, their frustration, their abhorrence. Aang, Katara and Sokka tried to defend her. She remained there, impervious to everything. Jet's expression changed again. The kind of loathing that now distorted his features was tinted with a strong sense of betrayal that was never there before. He then tried to convince Aang Sokka and Katara that she could not be trusted. At one point or another, she would betray them. He could not understand why they would defend her, how they could accept her knowing she was a firebender. Had they forgotten what her kind had done to their families, to their homes, to the world?
"You should not assume that every single person in a country is the same or that you guys are the only ones to have suffered because of this war, and because of the Fire Nation. That would be very stupid, childish, and completely absurd."
"What did you say?!"
"I will say exactly the same thing I told Sokka, Katara, and Aang when I met them: yes I'm a firebender, yes I'm Fire Nation, but if you dislike me for that reason, you're exactly like that Fire Nation that doesn't acknowledge others. I am who I am and I won't deny it or deviate from my path. You have no idea how many people inside the Fire Nation rebelled against the Fire Lord's way and were exiled, executed or imprisoned. I too lost my family. Because they opposed this war, they were branded as traitors and killed while I was imprisoned. I'm not asking for forgiveness because as an individual I haven't done anything wrong. Nor am I asking you to forgive the Fire Nation. Injustice should not be forgiven. I decided to endure and not allow hatred and resentment to make me lose sight of who I really am and what's really important. The line is very thin between Justice and Revenge, that's why I sided with the Avatar, with Aang and Katara and Sokka. I know they will stop me if I ever try to cross that line. But as a firebender and a Noble I am ready to bear the sins of my people. That is why I will accept any challenge. But if you want to challenge me you must think carefully whether it will be as a leader and representative of a community or as a simple vengeance-driven man. If it is the latter, you will not be able to win. I cannot and will not be defeated by anyone who's blinded and lost himself in anger, hatred or revenge."
Sparks suddenly flashed. Her dragon straight sword held horizontally above her head, pushing up the tiger hook swords that were pressing down to cut her, their arms trembling under the effort. That last statement had been the last straw. Jet had lost his cool and attacked, stung, as deep down he knew in which category he belonged even though he would never admit it. She had sensed the truth and still said it. He resented how she always talked like she knew everything, and he resented the fact that she did know, and seemed to see right through his heart. She was really Fire Nation after all... acting so arrogant, self-righteous, lecturing him, trampling on him...
"And what if it's both?" They disengaged and jumped backward.
"That'd depend on which is stronger... between the leader and the man... and between the tiger and the dragon!" They held their breath in anticipation, at the mercy of each other's eyes. They did not budge, not even one step, and lunged at each other. Their swords clashed, their wills to fight intertwined, their souls springing forth from their blades, continuously blocking, deflecting, and avoiding, approaching and brushing past each other, back to back, back to front, shoulder to shoulder, before sliding back, locking eyes, and attacking again.
Katara was begging them to stop until Aang told her to carefully look at them and let them be. That was something they wanted and needed to do. That fight was necessary. They had their honor and pride at stake, and he trusted Chenlian to solve things in a way only she could. But that was not all, at least not for the firebender. Chenlian was smirking. That man was skilled, really skilled! If only it hadn't started because of such a reason, they could have enjoyed this match to a completely different extent! Both were extremely resourceful warriors who had spent years fighting for their survival. But as the combat continued with neither of them being able to touch the other, Jet's rage was growing and growing again. How could that firebender look like she was having so much fun?! Was she mocking him?! And yet, how could she be so good?! She seemed to avoid all of his attacks effortlessly while he could barely dodge hers! How was it that she could read him so easily while he couldn't read her and her movements at all!? Changing the course in the middle of a blow, switching her hold from her right hand to her left, from the handle to the tassle, sometimes throwing it and completely letting it go... how random! She was really going easy on these soldiers... was she going easy on him too? No... or...
"But if you want to challenge me you must think carefully whether it will be as a leader and representative of a community or as a simple vengeance-driven man. If it is the latter, you will not be able to win. I cannot and will not be defeated by anyone who's blinded and lost himself in anger, hatred or revenge." No... it was impossible, it couldn't be... it couldn't be... That firebender... how... dared she?!
"Stop joking around and fight me seriously! Come on, use your firebending! Or am I too fast for you?" He swung his blades at her, one aimed at her neck from her left and another at her right side.
"Now you are joking." She hopped backwards, the twin weapons crossed harmlessly, when they reached their maximum angle, she stepped in and thrust her sword to his guts. He backed a little and retreated, yanking his arms to catch the tip of the blade between his hooks but at the last second she stopped and instead kicked the side of his head, throwing him off balance, pivoted on her right foot and slashed horizontally at his right side. He blocked. "I don't have to obey you. I want to fight you on equal footing. That's how a duel should be. Is it such a bad thing?"
"Don't be such a hypocrite! And don't underestimate me!" He forced her away and lunged again, attacking more and more fiercely, more and more recklessly, as his rage and frustration and all the pent-up feelings that have been consuming him were unleashed by the words of the firebender girl.
"Call me whatever you want, I still won't use my firebending." She smiled sadly. The boy's increase in speed and aggressivity had allowed him to make a few rips in her clothing. Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes wide, and there were looks of horror from the onlookers. The cuts on her clothes had formed an angle and the fabric had sagged, revealing the ugly and badly healed burn scar on her chest. "Ah, that? Just a little souvenir from my first escape from the Fire Nation... nothing much, after all we've all got similar scars and it doesn't hamper my movements. It's nothing to be flustered about."
"I'm not flustered!" He lunged again. But because of his impatience, her attacks were also starting to hit more often (of course with the pommel of the sword or her body as she didn't want to injure him gravely), adding to his already considerable frustration. And he was all the more infuriated since she kept all her calm and cool and he was the only one getting angry. It was like she was showing him the difference between them, between their ability to cope with things. And that scar also had showed him something he didn't want to see. He was caught in the cycle. Chenlian could not lose her composure before him. Her expression had changed. He reminded her so much of how she was back then, and how she still was even now somewhere in the darkest recesses of her heart. And he also reminded her of him. Prisoner of the past, desperately holding onto something, unable to let go, to accept, to face the truth, to face the loss, to change, thinking they're moving forward while they're only fleeing, piling up mistakes... She wanted him to understand! And she wanted to save him! No... she wanted them to understand, and she wanted to save them both!
"Quit your nonsense! You come and destroy our land, our villages, our families! Apologise in hell!" He shouted, trying to impale her with the pointy ends of his swords but she had blocked him again. She applied more force, swinging upward. Destabilized, he staggered a few steps back.
"Sorry, I've already gone to hell and come back. But you... what do you see in the darkness of revenge? And then what are you gonna howl about once you get it? Well, too bad for you, my life isn't so cheap that I'd just hand it over to you. Come at me with everything." Chenlian pointed her sword at him, staring at him and only him, her gaze far straighter, sharper, more piercing, more dazzling than her own blade. There was nothing he could say, nothing he could do but lunge at her as she had told him. She lowered her arms, keeping them slightly aspread, leaving herself completely open as the opponent closed in. Now was the time to end it.
The girl let go of her sword that fell on the ground and caught the blades with her hands. Many people gasped. Aang, Katara, and Sokka watched with horror. Jet remained frozen for a few second before the unthinkable fact that had just occurred. He tried to recuperate them but Chenlian only gripped them tighter. Her eyes were like the clear sky after a stormy night, immensely vast, unfathomably deep, without a single cloud of fear, pain, or doubt – as they had all dissipated – and yet were burning with the fires of dawn, like carrying all the promises of a new day. It was obvious she was hurt, there was no way she did not feel pain. But such washer conviction, a spirit like hardened steel, toughened over the years and countless life-threatening situations, and that made his own conviction waver for a second. He tried to kick her away but he had barely raised his leg that she suddenly pulled him to her, let go, caught his left elbow in an armlock, swept his legs, made him fall back, and grabbed his left wrist as the sharpened end of the hilt was descending upon her. The firebender then shifted her stance, pinning him down with her knee on his abdomen, his right arm under her left foot, his left arm still locked and her left fist against his throat. They stayed like this for a few seconds that felt like an eternity. Everyone was holding their breath.
"My win!" Chenlian suddenly smiled. That seemed to make Jet snap back to reality and hatred burned again in his gaze.
"Kill me." He spat.
"Kill you? Why would I kill you?" The mahogany haired girl looked at him like he was crazy. "I wanted a victory, not a life."
"Like I'd believe someone from the Fire Nation! You put an act before the Avatar but you must have killed dozens of people!"
"I never killed a single person. I want to end the war. I won't do anything to make it worse. Sorry to take you out of your comfort zone. You know, each time I was about to give in to my hatred and desire for revenge I thought about the consequences and I thought about my reasons. The Fire Lord feared my family, and he fears me because my family is still alive in me. Staying alive and staying myself, that is my revenge, my wish, and my family's wish. I told you, I cannot and will not be defeated by anyone who's blinded and lost himself in anger, hatred or revenge. That means you, all those like that in the different nations, including the Fire Nation whose bending now relies on anger... and that also means me."
"Don't talk like you know-" He was silenced by her look. She snorted in derision at herself and the world and smiled a poignantly kind and sad smile, a smile that stirred something in his heart.
"Stupid, I talk because I know. You're a good fighter, a good leader and I want to believe you're a good person. So don't let that hatred twist you and make you act like that same Fire Nation you despise. A really good leader does not act on emotions and must remain cool and level-headed at all times. Look at me with objective eyes. See me for who I am, not what I am. But if you still want to have a go at me, I will be your opponent however many times you want." She stood up and stepped back. Even if there was still a latent hostility like a strong undertone, it seemed somewhat more subdued than before. She was still hated and despised, but at least she had been acknowledged by everyone. She turned back to the brown-haired young man and held out her hand, once more looked straight in his brown eyes that bored back into her amber ones. Why did it feel like she was challenging him again? To accept that hand, to stain his own hand with blood, a firebender's blood, her blood... it was like she was asking him if it really was what he wanted, and if he could accept what she had said, accept his loss, accept her as she was as Aang, Katara, and Sokka had done? Torn between his hatred for her and his hatred for losing, his eyes plunged into hers again. He felt his resolution waver, or like a tug at his heart, and, scowling, grabbed her wrist, resenting how easily she could corner him with her actions, her words, and her eyes. There were murmurs again. Katara seemed to wake up. She called her female friend crazy and reckless for stopping swords with her hands and accompanied by Aang and Sokka, took her away to treat her. She cleaned the wounds, and was surprised at their shallowness. Her fingerless gloves might have helped but still! In fact she had first caught them between her thumbs and her bent fingers before holding them. Chenlian told her to rummage in her luggage for a certain bag and to mash the leaves into a paste to apply. The next day they would make compresses with another macerated plant. The waterbender was very gentle but that did not stop the mahogany haired girl from wincing a few times. They could not understand why she would be flinching now of all times.
"Ah... well... you know how it is... right...?"
No we don't...
"The adrenaline, not showing any weakness to those who would hurt you, well, that part was the way I was raised though... just some time ago it would have been the same with you... but that aside... thank you, for everything."
They all smiled. Now she trusted them enough to show them her real self, just like they trusted her.
The next day, Jet and Sokka were perched on branches on the same tree. Jet whistled like a bird and several trees down Pipsqueak and Smellerbee sent a reply call. Sokka rammed his jawbone knife into the trunk of the tree. The Freedom Fighter asked him what he was doing. The ponytailed warrior answered it amplified vibrations. Jet was impressed: it was a good trick. The Water Tribesman cupped his hands around the pommel bone' and put his ear to it, waiting until he heard someone approach. There was only one person. Jet whistled again. He complimented Sokka and told him to ready his weapon. Sokka pulled the knife out of the tree and waited. His eyes widened when the 'someone' came into view: it was just a stooped old man with a cane and wearing a simple red robe!
"Wait! False alarm! He's just an old man." Sokka alerted in a low voice before watching with horror as Jet stood and extended his hook swords nonetheless, then leapt to the ground in front of the traveler.
"What are you doing in our woods, you leech." He snarled with a hateful and disgusted expression.
"Please sir, I'm just a traveler." The elderly begged. Jet took a step, and with one swipe of his sword sent the man's cane flying from his hand. The old man backed away, but when he tried to flee the way he came, he ran face first into Pipsqueak's chest. The force of the impact knocked him to the ground; the giant looming over him. He attempted to crawl away, but Pipsqueak pinned him down with a foot on his back.
"Do you like destroying towns? Do you like destroying families? Do you?!" He demanded, his words echoing what he had said just a few hours earlier. He might have let Chenlian's matter on hold for now, but he would be damned if he did the same for everyone else.
"Oh please, let me go, have mercy." The elder pleaded.
"Does the Fire Nation let people go?! Does the Fire Nation have mercy?!" Jet winded up a kick, trying to ignore the warm, kind, and unbelievably sad smile of a fair young lady with mahogany hair and amber eyes. His foot was snagged by Sokka's club before the kick could be delivered. Sokka released him.
"Jet, he's just an old man!"
"He's Fire Nation! Search him!" Jet barked. Pipsqueak held the prisoner while Smellerbee did as told.
"But he's not hurting anyone!"
"Have you forgotten that the Fire Nation killed your mother? Remember why you fight!" Again his otherwise handsome features were completely and hideously distorted.
"We've got his stuff, Jet." Smellerbee held up a shoulder satchel the old man was carrying. The elderly was back on the ground.
"This doesn't feel right." Sokka replied strongly. So their mindset won't change so fast and easily even after meeting Chenlian, huh?
"It's what has to be done. Now let's get outta here." Jet pushed past Sokka, followed by Pipsqueak and Smellerbee. The Water Tribesman looked at the old man still on his hands and knees before he was urged by the young leader of the Freedom Fighters. Sokka slowly turned and ran after the others.
At the hideout, Aang and Momo were playing with the ziplines again. He leapt to a platform where Sokka was sitting, visibly upset about something. But the child took no notice. He wanted to show him the gift he had gotten from the Duke. He pulled a small pellet from a snatchel he was wearing and with a sly grin, tossed it next to Momo, where it exploded with a pop. Momo puffed up like a startled cat. He growled and lunged for the satchel before sitting on Aang's shoulder and tossing pellets at his feet. Aang danced about wildly to avoid being hit and told him to quit it. His human friend, however, was oblivious of it all, sitting with his back to the trunk and staring at the platform before him, frowning. Walking up to him, his sister asked if Jet was back.
"Yeah he's back. But we're leaving." The brother answered curtly. The Avatar was surprised and Katara did not want to as she had made him a hat. From behind her back, she produced a cap made out of stitched leaves with a flower on top. That hat seemed too cute and girly for that guy. "Jet's a thug."
"What? No, he's not."
"He's messed up Katara."
"He's not messed up, he's just got a different way of life, a really fun way of life." Aang also contradicted him. As usual, the priority for him was to have fun.
"He beat and robbed a harmless old man!" The ponytailed warrior snapped at last.
"I wanna hear Jet's side of the story." Katara frowned, her arms crossed.
"Sokka you told them what happened but you didn't mention that the guy was Fire Nation?" Jet spoke, containing his anger. He and the foursome were in a lantern-lit hut. The head of the Freedom Fighters was sitting on a hammock-bed. Aang was wearing the hat Katara had made; making him look like an acorn.
"No, he conveniently left that part out." Katara glared at her brother who was standing the farthest from Jet and closest to the entrance.
"Fine! But even if he was Fire Nation, he was a harmless civilian."
"He was an assassin, Sokka." Jet contradicted him, pulling out a knife and thrusting it into a nearby block of wood. It was a sinister looking curved blade with four spikes evenly spaced along the grip, with enough space for fingers to go between them, and a ring on the butt of the knife. "See? There's a compartment for poison in the knife." He pulled on the ring and removed a small glass tube filled with orange liquid. "He was sent to eliminate me. You helped save my life, Sokka." He showed clever kindness to the one who showed clear hostility. Katara was relieved. She knew there must have been an explanation. Sokka argued back vehemently that he didn't see any knife. Jet explained that was because he was concealing it.
"See, Sokka? I'm sure you just didn't notice the knife." The waterbender added.
"There was no knife! I'm going back to the hut and packing my things." Her brother declared strongly before marching out of the hut.
"Katara, I want to ask you something." Chenlian surprised everyone as she had been rather quiet until now. "If that old man had really been harmless, would it have been alright to beat him and rob him?"
"What?! No! Of course not!"
"I see." The firebender smiled sweetly, satisfied.
"Does it mean you don't believe me?" Jet asked Chenlian defensively.
"I don't know. I can't tell anything for sure since I wasn't there. It IS possible for Sokka to have missed a concealed weapon. And it IS possible that you're lying to us. I think you could do ANYthing to achieve your goal, even lie, manipulate, or harm people who did nothing wrong except being born in the nation you hate or who were just unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time... and dismiss them as 'necessary sacrifices'. That's exactly how the Fire Nation wages war. And I can't view people as mere disposable pawns, nor agree with or trust anyone who does..."
"Are you saying that Jet-" But Katara was cut off.
"I have no certainties. I'm merely exposing the possibilies and giving a warning. Unlike you and Aang, I don't trust people easily. If I did, I would have died a long time ago. Katara, you can be blinded by hate, but also by love. And I sincerely hope that you'll be careful and that it isn't what's happening to you. I really, really, really like you, so I don't want to you to be sad." Chenlian started leaving when Jet stopped her.
"Wait, tell me you guys aren't leaving yet. I really need your help. Yours too, Chenlian." He had changed tactics. She was sharp and dangerous and it wouldn't be smart to alienate her. Better use her. Luckily she seemed to be subservient to the Avatar and ready to do anything that would make her look good before him. Aang asked what they could do. "The Fire Nation is planning on burning down our forest. If you both use water bending to fill the reservoir, we could fight the fires. And Chenlian, because you control fire, you can simply put them out with your firebending. But if you leave now, they'll destroy the whole valley." He said. Aang and Katara looked at each other.
When they entered their hut, Sokka was tying up a roll on the floor. Katara was refusing to leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down a forest.
"I'm sorry Katara. Jet's very smooth, but we can't trust him." Her brother apologised.
"You know what I think? You're jealous that he's a better warrior and a better leader!" She retorted angrily.
"Katara, I'm not jealous of Jet. It's just that my instinct-"
"Well my instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on Aang."
"Sorry Sokka." They left the hut, the torn curtain closing on Sokka and Chenlian.
"And you, don't tell me that you're also completely smitten with him." He asked the female firebender.
"That's impossible." She scoffed confidently. "I don't trust Jet either. It is very difficult to trust someone who'd stop at nothing to get what he wants. But at least... I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. If the Fire Nation is really about to burn down the forest that would be a problem. If it's something else... then the two of us will take care of it. I would stay if only to verify his claims."
It was night. A full moon was shining and Appa was snoring up a storm as he slept on his back. Chenlian left the hut and sat at the edge of the platform, her feet dangling, where she remained for a time, her blanket around her back, just listening to the sounds of the night... until she heard a set of footsteps.
"Have you come to kill me when no one's looking?"
"And what if I did?" Jet asked back. Although she could not know whether he had really come for that, if he was testing her to know what she would do or say.
"That would be unwise and dishonourable."
"Why that?" But for some reason, he was the one who could not help but feel judged and tested. And he could not help but be caught in her pace.
"If you really believe you're in your right to try and kill me, challenge me again fair and square in broad daylight and before an audience instead of sneaking around when no one's looking. Although the only wrongs I did to you was to hurt your pride and feelings." She smiled in self derision. Jet growled interiorly. That attitude was really a problem! "Justice without Love is nothing more than murder and revenge." The young girl continued; her eyes downcast. "Although Aang is still young and untrained, he is still the Avatar. He considers all life sacred. You'll certainly say this naivety has no place in this world... but I believe this world would be better if more people were naïve like him. That is why I won't forgive people who try to manipulate him."
"You say pretty words but you hate the Fire Lord enough to kill him a thousand times over, and you're using the Avatar to kill him in your stead. I don't want to be lectured by you."
"It's true that I hate the Fire Lord as much as you say, and I'd be more than happy if Aang could kill him. But... I really dislike having this lump of darkness inside, and I really dislike being controlled by anyone or anything, even my own feelings. It might not be the best one, but if a solution exists that will solve things without death, I want to be able to grab it and accept it. I trust Aang, if in the end he chooses to stop him without killing him as I'm pretty sure he will, I want to be able to accept his decision. And that is why I'm trying to curb my own hatred. It's really difficult though. Jet, no matter what you think or feel, I am a firebender and ally of the Avatar... I know the enemies better than anyone and once he has learned waterbending and earthbending, I can teach Aang firebending, aiding in the completion of his Avatar training. And that is why he would be unwise to kill me."
"That's pretty rational of you."
"And there's something else I feel compelled to tell you. During my time on the run
from the Fire Nation, I met many types of people during my travels. Some of which I would risk my life to protect, in the Fire Nation, but also in the Northern Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom. With the world the way it is... there are plenty who more than deserve to be killed. But those who kill others must be prepared to be killed themselves. That's the law of consequences. The reason I chose not to kill isn't because I'm not prepared, but I refuse to be bound to that chain. The moment you are willing to sacrifice innocent lives, and cease to be able to distinguish between right and wrong you become nothing more than a tyrant, an evil murderer. That is why I want to always find a way to solve things without having to kill. That is why, Jet, if I see you are about to become a tyrant and an evil murderer, I will do everything to stop you. And if you could become someone I could entrust my life to like Aang, Sokka and Katara, then I would also protect you with my life." She looked straight at him again. She was too sincere, too pure in a way. Kind yet cruel, soft-hearted yet strong-minded, more than an absence of negative emotions, it was how well she would supress them. So unlike him... She suddenly smiled sweetly and resignedly after a time. "Well, I'm going. Sorry for hurting your feelings, acting all high and mighty and making you listen to my hyprocrite, long-winded and boring lectures. Goodnight, Jet." She stood up and returned inside. Jet stared at her until she disappeared behind the curtain. Being admonished again and again by a firebender... how must that have sounded to him? Really. That was something she didn't need to do. He didn't need to listen to that. He didn't want to. But... Yet... Looking at her scar made him wonder how did it feel to have no place in this world, to be hunted everywhere in this world, even your own country. He at least still had his country.
Later, long after Chenlian had gone back to sleep, Sokka stirred and snaped awake, pulling the door flap aside enough to see some of Jet's followers descending on the rope lines.. On the ground, the Freedom Fighters were quietly pushing the loaded wagon as Jet led them out of the camp. Sokka followed after them, careful to avoid detection. In the dark valley, the walled town sat on the far side of a river that cuts through the forest. Upstream, and up toward the wall of the valley was an old falls, and beyond that a man-made dam. A bare cliff off to the reservoir's left provided the view.
"Now listen you are not to blow the dam until I give the signal. If the reservoir isn't full, the Fire Nation troops could survive."
"But what about the people in the town won't they get wiped out too?" The Duke asked innocently, jumping off the wagon. Jet placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Look Duke, that's the price of ridding this area of the Fire Nation." He declared, once more pushing the image and words of the mahogany-haired girl to the far back of his mind. He then told Longshot not to blow the dam until he gave the signal. The archer agreed. Sokka watched incredulously from the bushes. He frowned, and heard rustling just before Pipsqueak dragged him out by his topknot.
"Where do you think you're going, ponytail?" Smellerbee sneered, instantly putting a knife at the throat of the Water Tribe warrior.
Jet watched as Pipsqueak and Smellerbee dragged Sokka between them and commented sarcastically that he was glad he had decided to join them. Sokka was sent to his knees by his captors. He rubbed his shoulder.
"I heard your plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom town."
"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation."
"There are people living there Jet mothers and fathers and children."
"We can't win without making some sacrifices."
"You lied to Aang, Katara and Chenlian about the forest fire!" On his feet again, Sokka pointed an accusing finger at Jet.
"Because they don't understand the demands of war. Not like you and I do." He raised an eyebrow. "Although it's more like Chenlian refuses to understand." He looked sideways, frowning slightly. He had noticed that when you were near her, you could not help but be pulled along by her, and when you were away from her, your thoughts would naturally turn to her during difficult times or moments of decision, and that was no matter how reluctant you were...
"I do understand. I understand that Chenlian was right and there's nothing you won't do to get what you want."
"I was hoping you'd have an open mind, and that you'd trust me more than the enemy, but I can see you've made your choice." Pipsqueak and Smellerbee grabbed for Sokka. Before he could even react, Jet had his wrist pinned with the hooks of his shuang gou. Sokka's other hand was forced behind his back. "I can't let you warn Chenlian, Katara and Aang." Jet released Sokka's hand that was immediately forced behind his back. "Take him for a walk... a long walk."
"You can't do this!"
"Cheer up, Sokka. We're gonna win a great victory against the Fire Nation today."
Jet, Katara, Chenlian and Aang were walking upriver along the west bank. A small thread of water was trickling in the gully that was large enough to contain a Fire Nation tank, and in the reservoir that could easily house Zuko's ship was a puddle. Katara apologised about the way Sokka – and Chenlian – had been acting. The firebender kept quiet but wondered what she should have apologised for. What could be wrong with giving your opinion and advice? She had merely spoken the truth. Jet replied it was no worries since Sokka had already apologized and after the fight he had a talk with Chenlian. Again, the young girl with mahogany hair remained silent. True, they had talked, but wasn't she the one who had done all the talking? She had mostly talked about herself too, hoping to change his prejudiced opinion. But although it was better than before, she had not felt that the leader of the Freedom Fighters had been a model of receptiveness and tolerance and acceptation.
"Really?" Aang and Katara stopped and looked at one another, disbelief etched onto their faces. "Sokka apologized?"
"Yeah I was surprised too. I got the sense that maybe you talked to him or something." Jet followed up.
"Yeah, I did." Katara did not remember her words having any effect on her brother.
"I guess something you said got through to him. Anyhow, he went out on a scouting mission with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee."
"I'm glad he cooled off. He's so stubborn sometimes." They were now walking in the gully, beside the river. Aang paused after noticing something strange, then was launched into the air by a blast from the geyser he was standing on. They were here. Jet told them about the underground water trying to escape through these vents. He needed them to help it along. Katara was still unsure. She had never used bending on water she couldn't see. Jet stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, his mouth right next to her ear.
"Katara. You can do this." He gently and seductively encouraged her.
"What about me?" Aang asked, back on his feet. He did not seem to have read the atmosphere. But the young brown haired rogue knew the Avatar could do this.
Aang and Katara stood on either side of one of the many smoking holes in the gully and performed bending gestures under Chenlian's and Jet's careful watch. After a few minutes, a bloby stream of water emerged from the vent. They pulled it to their height then sent it toward the river where it kept flowing. The water quickly joined the river. Jet congratulated them. This river emptied into the reservoir, a few more geysers and it'd be full. Aang excitedly went to another steam vent, followed by Katara. The leader of the Freedom Fighters told them to keep it up while he would go check on things at the reservoir. He turned and walked away.
"When we're done we'll meet you over there." The waterbender told him.
"Actually probably better if you meet me back at the hideout when you're done." He contradicted her. Suddenly Chenlian stopped. Since she was not needed for that, she had decided to go look for Sokka. She knew how resourceful he was, but that was a matter of principles. She could not leave someone she cared about alone, because she was through losing people.
"He's not alone, but with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee. Why would anything happen to him?"
"They're your underlings, who answer to you alone."
"And you mean we're not all friends?"
"Funny, hearing that out of the mouth of someone who hates firebenders and the Fire Nation with every fiber of his being."
"That's not how you see me..."
"...I would like us to be friends, I really do, but the way you are now, I cannot trust you." As usual, she had merely stated a fact. But in her eyes could be seen all the sadness, longing, and the sheer sincerity of her wish despite knowing what kind of person he really was. She was looking at him, at the real him, not the one he had made himself out to be for Aang and Katara. His eyes widened. She knew, or at least was at 99% sure. Where could he have slipped?! When had she caught on?! And before he had the time to recover and stop her, before anyone could say anything, she took off. And Jet left too.
After Aang and Katara had bended a half dozen fountains to flow into the river, the girl suggested that they caught up with Jet at the reservoir. The Avatar thought they had agreed to meet him back at the hideout but she did not care: they had finished early, she was sure he was going to be happy to see them, even though she was the one who most wanted to see him.
While in the forest, Pipsqueak and Smellerbee were following Sokka, who had his hands tied behind his back. Smellerbee gave the prisoner a shove, ordering him to move along; Sokka stumbled but remained on his feet. He wanted to know how they could stand by and do nothing while Jet wiped out a whole town. The larger rebel retorted that Jet was a great leader. They followed what he said, and things always turned out okay. The Water Tribesman noticed a couple of snare leaf-piles nearby, which also included piles of nuts.
"If that's how Jet leads... then he's got a lot to learn." Sokka commented, suddenly sprinting in the direction of the snares. The long knife user made a grab for him, but missed. The captors chased their escapee. Sokka leapt over the leaf piles. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee didn't, and ended up captured instead and hanging many feet up in the air. "While you two are up there you might want to practice your knot-work." The ponytailed warrior advised, holding up his now-worthless bindings, before turning and walking away.
"Hey Smellerbee you gonna eat your leechee nuts?" Pipsqueak asked, seeing the brightest side of the situation in his simple-mindedness. A nut angrily struk him in the head and landed in the pile he was holding. "Ooh." He picked one up and licked his lips.
Katara and Aang were standing on the edge of the cliff. At the base of the dam, four Freedom Fighters were unloading barrels from the wagon and arranging them. The waterbender asked what they were doing. Aang recognised the red barrels they had got from the Fire Nation. Katara could not – or rather did not want to – understand why they would need blasting jelly.
"Because Jet's gonna blow up the dam." The airbender answered dreafully.
"What? No... that would destroy the town. Jet wouldn't do that." She was horrified. The Avatar snapped his glider open and ran to the edge. He had to stop him. "Jet wouldn't do that." Katara repeated, hopeful, fearful, and much less convinced before the evidence. But before Aang could reach the edge, Jet crossed his path from behind and snatched the glider. Aang was left wobbling precariously on the edge, and used an airbending move to get himself back on stable footing.
"Yes I would." Jet replied with simple and terrible conviction.
"Jet, why?" The brown-haired girl implored.
"Katara, you would too if you just stopped to think. Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother, to their own people, we can't let them do that to anyone else, ever again."
"This isn't the answer!"
"I want you to understand me Katara... I thought your brother would understand, but-"
"Where's Sokka?" Katara demanded, the bitter tears of agony from such betrayal falling from her eyes. Sokka had been right. Chenlian had been right. Because of her prejudices, she had believed him instead of her own brother, and that firebender who should have been her enemy but who cared more about her than that man. Jet gently reached out and touched her face, whispering her name in an imploring tone. But this no longer worked. She bowed her head, and with a shout full of suffering and resentment, sent Jet flying with the water from her waterskin before drawing it back into the recipient when she was done. Aang needed to get to the dam but as he reached for his closed glider on the ground, the crescent end of one of Jet's shuang gou pinned it before he pulled it to him with a yank. He caught the flying device and strapped it to his back, saying he was not going anywhere without his glider. The young leader swung his blade at Aang, making it twirl as he stepped forward. The airbender somersaulted backwards to avoid the extra reach and retreated in a nearby tree. He did not want to fight Jet but the latter replied he had to if he wanted his glider back.
Aang withdrew into the forest. Jet hooked the branch and pulled himself up, chasing after him as Katara followed on the ground. Jet attacked; Aang defended himself with balls of air, which his opponent ducked. The swordsmaster attacked head on, but the airbender blocked with his arms and sent his opponent flying into a tree trunk with an air kick. Jet combined his swords again and advanced. Aang avoided the flail-like move and sent another air blast. Jet stooped down and let the air flow over and past him, and lunged. They continued the chase through the many levels of the forest. The rebel caught up to Aang by reading his movements and forced him down. Both were freefalling, attacking as they went. They both landed on a branch. Jet charged again, though the Avatar avoided it all. The Freedom Fighter lunged, relentlessly swinging his blades, until he tried to stab him. The airbender evaded him by sliding below the branch and climbing back up further away. He hit Jet with a jetstream of air that he kept going and twirling around the branch until his opponent fell. Jet recovered, but lost the glider in the process. And before Aang could get to it, the warrior let himself fall and kicked him into a trunk. The little monk crashed with a thud next to his glider.
A small stream was running a few yards away. Aang was slow to get up. But before Jet could take more than a step, he was hit by a large water strike. Katara was there; she used water from the little stream to throw Jet against the trunk of the tree. Over and over she attacked, discharging all of her anger and pain, all of her bitterness and frustration in each attack. Jet was unable to cut the water and its force plastered him against the trunk. She bended the water into ice, freezing the rebel, encasing him in a prison of ice, and leaving only his head.
"Why, Jet?! I can't believe I trusted you! You lied to me! You're sick and I trusted you!" The waterbender cried. Jet snorted.
"That's-" Suddenly a loud rumble was heard as a huge volume of water broke through the dam and rushed forth and swept through the town, black smoke still billowing above the ruined dam.
"No..." Aang and Katara whispered, horrified. Had Sokka and Chenlian failed?
"No!" Jet also yelled. Why now?! He had not given the signal yet! The reservoir wasn't even three quarters full, barely two thirds! That was why he needed to stall them more! Why?! How?!
"Don't worry, Aang, Katara, everything is alright. You've failed, Jet. And everyone is safe." It was Chenlian who had risen from below, jets of fire streaming forth from her fists and feet, and landed on the promontory.
"Chenlian!" Jet bellowed.
"I had first gone to the dam before going straight to the town where Sokka already was."
"That's right." Sokka appeared on Appa's head. "We warned the villagers of your plan, just in time."
"What?!" Jet vociferated again.
"At first they didn't believe me. The Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy." Sokka continued."But I got help from Chenlian, and one man vouched for us, the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust us, and we got everyone out in time."
"And when I saw things would be fine I went back to the dam. I had to destroy it before it could be full... before you could give the order that would kill innocent people." She wanted to save him, at least partly. Because she didn't want him to give such an order, because he reminded her of Zuko, and because she too could have turned out like him, she wanted to save him.
"You fools! We could've freed this valley!"
"Who would be free?" Chenlian asked.
"Everyone would be dead." Sokka finished as Aang and Momo jumped onto the saddle.
"You traitors!"
"No, Jet. You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people."
"Katara. Please help me." Jet turned to the girl he had deceived and manipulated.
"Goodbye Jet." Forcing back her tears, the young waterbender climbed onto the saddle without looking back.
"Chenlian?" Sokka asked the firebender as she was showing no sign of doing the same.
"Please go ahead, I'll catch up with you in a few minutes."
"Alright. Yip yip." Sokka gave Appa's reigns a flick.
"What do you want?" Jet snapped, but again, the words were caught in his throat when she turned to look at him, because she looked simply this sad. She was just unbelievably sad, for him. She didn't feel hurt or betrayed because she had not trusted him, only hoped. But in the end more keeping her hopes up, she had kept her presence of mind and objectivity.
"I know of someone who makes many mistakes too. And I know that neither of you is bad at heart. It is the war that made you this way. I want to believe that you still can change yourselves, and go back to your real and kind self. I know you have that power, all you need is the will. No matter what wrong you did, all you have to do is work as much good. That's what second chances are for. But then it's up to you whether to walk that path or not, whether you can and want to walk that path, for it is long and hard. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you don't stop. It's never too late to try and correct mistakes. And I... still want to believe in you." And despite her sadness, she smiled her usual kind, warm, sweet, gentle smile. And despite her sweetness, she had not lost any of her strength and sincerity. Even now, without a trace of doubt, she still believed in her own words, in her own judgement, and thus in him too, despite everything he had done to her and her friends. And she took off again to join the Avatar.
And his heart stirred. How he disliked her... He disliked her honest, open and straightforward personality, which were his opposite. He disliked how serene, confident, and unwavering she could be and how her mental strength, more than her physical strength, allowed her to stand above him despite having similar backgrounds. He disliked how she was the enemy and yet looked at him with such sincerity, such warmth, such kindness, such sadness... he disliked her because he could never probe the full depth of her personality. He disliked her because she would read right through him, see him in his entirety with all his flaws and his qualities, she knew him and understood him better than anyone and still wanted to believe in him. Because she was so completely in control of herself, her body, her emotions, she easily controlled people. Because she was so keen and straightforward, she made people notice things they did not want to. She was like a burning blade of light cruelly piercing and tearing the darkness in people's hearts apart, regardless of what the person wanted, forcing them to acknowledge her, become accustomed, until they could no longer let go of that light and warmth for fear of getting lost again. Because in such an era when everyone was for themselves, being so unreservedly cared for was as rare as it was precious. She was the type to give herself completely, to pour all of her heart and soul into everything.
"We thought you were going to the dam." Aang told Sokka. "And you to look for Sokka." He told Chenlian who had joined them. "How come you went to the town instead?"
"Lemme guess your instincts told you." Katara suggested. Earlier, she had apologised to her brother and her firebender friend for having doubted them, to which they had replied with their usual teasing, since that was the way fights between siblings and friends should end.
"Hey sometimes they're right." The boy defended himself.
"Um Sokka? You know we're going the wrong way, right?" Aang and Chenlian corrected him. Sokka was surprised, but quickly recovered.
"And sometimes they're wrong." He admitted good-heartedly with a grin as he pulled Appa's reigns to make him fly in the opposite direction.