Chapter 26 - The Deserter
After some final well wishes and promises to return soon, the four of teenagers departed on Edel back towards the Western coastline of the Earth Kingdom. At some point during their flight back North, Zuko realized a problem that had not occurred to him earlier. "Wait a minute. Hakoda and the rest of them planned to sail off on that captured Fire Nation ship, right? Did we have an actual plan or a place to meet up with them again? Or are we just going to be flying around blindly towards every Fire Nation ship we see until we find them again?"
Sokka gave off a superior looking expression in response to Zuko's question. "That's why I'm here. I know the route that Dad plans on taking."
When the Water Tribe boy wasn't forthcoming with that information about a moment, Zuko demanded, "And? Where should I be heading then?"
Sokka pointed off in a direction to the Northwest. "Just keep following the coastline. I'll let you know when we should be getting close."
"Can't say I'm exactly comfortable flying around haphazardly like this," grumbled Zuko as he gently guided Edel in the direction that Sokka had indicated.
"It's better than no plan at all, I guess," Jin attempted to mediate before the firebender and Water Tribe boy could start arguing. "It's almost dark though. How about we find some place to settle in for the evening first? Then, we can check the map and start our search tomorrow?"
Zuko noticed the fires and lights from a village along the coastline. "There might work," he stated as he motioned for Edel to take them down pass the outskirts of the village so that they could approach on foot.
As each of them took a small bag from Edel's saddle, Zuko patted the thunderbird on the head. "We'll be back in the morning, come find us then." Edel gave a small squawk before flying back up into the evening sky.
"We're going to need to find you a whistle or something," stated Sokka offhandedly as he watched Edel fly off.
"A what?" asked Zuko, confused.
"Whis-tle," sounded out Sokka as he stretched out both syllables of the word. "You know, a small, little device that you can use to make a high-pitched sound."
Zuko glared at the Water Tribe boy as he mentally debated if he should smack the other boy upside the head. "I know what a whistle is. But I fail to see how it would help."
Sokka shrugged indifferently. "We had one for Appa. Made it much easier to call him and let him know where we were when we needed a fast pick-up."
"Of course you did," muttered Zuko. Naturally a conveniently, specific item like that would just fall into the lap of the Avatar. It was a wonder that something that probably hadn't been used in over a hundred years would find its way to the one person in the world who had a use for it. Zuko highly doubted he would be as lucky as the Avatar. Especially if Bato was right and thunderbirds hadn't been seen in over three hundred years. The chances of finding something just as opportune had to be even worse, right? "I sincerely doubt anyone makes a whistle for a thunderbird," replied Zuko.
"Hey, that's what I thought was the case for a sky bison," retorted Sokka casually. "But it turns out that there a bunch of weird stuff out there." The Water Tribe boy seemed to get his thinking hat on. "Maybe we'll find a thunderbird flute. No, wait, maybe a drum. A harp? Do birds like harps? Or some cymbals. Or a horn," rattled off Sokka as he randomly came up with some ideas, despite some of them not being very practical.
"Not a horn," grumbled Zuko as he shutdown Sokka's latest suggestion.
Interjecting herself into the conversation, Jin nudged Zuko with her elbow. "But you were so good playing that tsungi horn back on the ranch for my Grandparents."
Zuko paled. "You heard that?" He glanced at Katara, who sheepishly smiled in response too. The Fire Prince wanted to bury his head in the ground from embarrassment. He had thought they wouldn't have been able to hear him from inside the ranch house.
"I thought it was charming," offered Katara supportively.
"Let's just get to the village," muttered Zuko as Sokka hovered around the Fire Prince asking random questions about the firebender's musical ability and taunting Zuko to play for the group the first chance he got.
To their surprise, as the group reached their destination, the first thing they noticed was that the village was not some sleepy Earth Kingdom town. No, it was a bustle of activity. There were torches, food stalls, and red streamers everywhere. Zuko froze at the sight. "This is a Fire Nation colony. And they're in a middle of a festival," the Fire Prince stated.
"A festival!" cheered Jin. "We should check it out!"
"What? No!" protested Sokka. "Why would we do that? That's an enemy village."
"They're colonists Sokka, not soldiers," countered Katara.
"I actually agree with Sokka on this one. It's not worth the risk. We can find somewhere else to sleep tonight," declared Zuko.
"Thank you!" proclaimed Sokka, both his arms raised high into the air to make his point. "I don't understand why Zuko's the only one to see reason, but I'll take it."
"But I've never been to a Fire Nation festival," replied Katara.
"And I bet they have some delicious foods to chose from," added Jin.
Sokka flinched for a moment. Both of the girls smirked at each other. They knew that they had just hooked Sokka. Jin decided to land the finishing blow. "Can't you just smell that mouth-watering meat cooking? I bet the Fire Nation really knows how to grill meat properly." The Water Tribe boy started to drool a little.
Sokka almost was about to cave when he slapped himself to get himself to refocus. "No, nope, not going to happen." The Water Tribe boy seemed to get ahold of himself once again. "Don't try to tempt me with food. It won't work." Then, he muttered, "Again. Toph's already scammed me half a dozen times using food back in Ba Sing Se."
Jin gave an audible 'tsk' sound as her and Katara's plan to sway Sokka seemed to hit a roadblock.
Taking a more practical approach, Katara declared, "We've already sent off Edel. So, unless you've got a thunderbird whistle in your pocket, Sokka, then we're camping out in the forest tonight if we don't head into the town."
After getting a comfortable night's rest for the last couple night back Kanna's igloo, none of them appeared particularly keen on setting up camp outdoors. Especially when the nearby town likely had an inn and warm food.
"I'll lead the way!" offered an excited Jin when no one seemed to object to Katara's declaration. "We're all friends with Zuko now, and we know not everyone in the Fire Nation is bad. So what's the worst that could happen?"
Sokka's jaw dropped open as he stood there gaping like a fish and pointing at Jin with both his open arms overly dramatically. "Why would you say something like that?!"
Katara and Jin didn't seem to hear Sokka, or perhaps, they just weren't paying attention to him anymore. Both of the girls were already walking towards the village as they chatted to each other.
Zuko walked right by the Water Tribe boy as he grumbled. "She already said it. And they've already gone ahead. So let's just be ready for when this whole thing blows up in our faces." Zuko wasn't exactly sure how a merry festival was going to go wrong, but previous experience, or at least his previous experiences, told him that something would happen. It always did.
"Shouldn't we at least have some kind of disguises?" called out Sokka, but no one was around to hear him. Slumping his shoulders in defeat, the Water Tribe boy muttered, "Alright, fine, whatever. At least this time, whenever happens won't be my fault. I just hope Aang doesn't hear we went to a festival without him." He jogged to catch up to the others.
As the group neared the town's entrance, they encountered lit-up buildings and a magnitude of food and game stalls. There were red flowing streamers and flags with the Fire Nation emblem everywhere. The people were walking around wearing different kinds of masks.
"We should probably get a couple of those masks," noted Katara as she watched another group of people walk past them wearing various animal masks.
"Oh sure, let me get right on that. I'll just check my bag, see what I have in here..." Sokka stated as he pretended to rummage through his bag and pulled out nothing with his hand. "Whoops, no mask. Guess we'll need to leave."
A mask dealer near the village gate shouted out, "Get your genuine Fire Festival masks here! Free Fire Festival masks right here! That's right folks, you heard me correctly! Free of charge! Supplied by the town mayor himself! Everyone should be allowed to get into the holiday spirit without worry! Fire Festival masks! You want them? I got them!"
Jin was already pulling Sokka's arm over to the vendor, "That was surprisingly easy! Good job Sokka!"
"Yeah, thanks," grumbled the Water Tribe boy.
Each member of the group took a couple of minutes to select a mask that they liked. Katara chose a mask of a beautiful looking lady with painted red makeup. Jin chose a mask of a yellow faced fox. Sokka just grabbed the first one he saw; a crimson facial expression mask with a frown on it.
Zuko seemed to linger the longest until he noticed a familiar style blue mask in the back corner of the stall with an laughing expression and white face paint. The Fire Prince debated inwardly for a couple of moments. This mask looked very similar to the same one he had left buried at the bottom of Biscuit's saddlebag. Eventually, the firebender picked up the mask and put it on.
Katara noticed the blue smirking mask that Zuko wore and gave her own small smirk in return to his choice, but said nothing. Zuko checked with the vendor to be sure, but the town employee reiterated that all the masks had been supplied by the town itself.
As the group turned to take in the Fire Festival in its entirety, Jin was the first to ask, "So, what do you all want to do first?"
"Walk around," stated Katara excitedly.
"Find the inn," declared Zuko as he was already spying a hotel nearby.
"Food stalls," grumbled Sokka as his stomach rumbled.
Looking around, Jin pointed to the closest food stall. "There's some kind of food over there."
"Finally!" replied Sokka as he trotted over. "What do you have?" the Water Tribe boy inquired to the food stall owner as he leaned against the wood shop counter.
The shopkeeper held out a steaming bag of toasted cereal. "Flaming fire flakes! Best in town!"
"I'll take them!" exclaimed Sokka hurriedly, not even pausing to consider what kind of food was being offered to him as he accepted the bag and clutched a fistful into his greedy hand.
"Uh, Sokka, you might not want to do that," commented Zuko as he tried to stop the Water Tribe boy.
"Don't tell me how to eat." Sokka shoveled the entire handful into his mouth, gobbling them down within a couple of quick bites. Then, not even a moment later, the Water Warrior had a full body spasm as he shuddered and gasped out, "Aaahhh! Hot! Hot!" He was uselessly fanning his tongue with his hand.
Katara walked up alongside her foolish Brother. Sarcastically, she chided him. "Flaming fire flakes. Turns out they're pretty hot. What do you know?"
"Most Fire Nation food is pretty hot or spicy," explained Zuko as he paid for Sokka's fire flakes as well as three more bags for the rest of them. Ignoring the suffering Water Tribe boy, the firebender walked over to the girls. "We grow a lot of peppers and spices. The heat can be a little much until you get used to it. Sokka, genius that he is, happened to grab one of the hottest flavors available." The Fire Prince offered two of the bags of fresh fire flakes to Katara and Jin. "Here, try these. They're much lower on the spice level. Should be way more enjoyable for first-timers."
Both Katara and Jin tried a small nibble of their bags of fire flakes. "Mmm... I see what you mean about the heat. It doesn't hit you at first, but afterwards, whoo, you really get it on the backend. But they're pretty good," assessed Jin looking a little flushed from the spice on the hot cereal.
Katara peered over at the bag in Zuko's hand. "What about you? You chose some of the hotter ones, didn't you?" She extended her hand expectantly. "Let me try some of yours."
Zuko hesitantly stared down at his bag of extra spicy fire flakes. "I don't think that's a very good idea. Mine are even hotter than the ones Sokka grabbed. I have a pretty high heat tolerance."
The Water Tribe girl gestured with her still outstretched hand that she was up for the challenge. Sokka was breathing heavily off to the side as he continued to will his mouth to stop being on fire. When Zuko remained tentative to give the waterbender any of his fire flakes, Katara reached over and scooped a handful from the top of the bag.
Although her handful wasn't close to the same amount as he Brother had eaten earlier when he shoveled several of the fire flakes into his mouth, Katara's handful was still fairly hefty with a lot of the hot cereal. With a self-assured expression on her face, the Water Tribe girl gobbled down the entire handful in a single bite and stared confidently at the Fire Prince as she chewed. Zuko merely shook his head in response.
As Katara swallowed the last of the fire flakes, she opened her mouth to say a boastful response, only to close her mouth quickly as her entire face turned bright red and the waterbender started to sweat heavily. Forcing herself to say something, Katara barely managed to squeak out, "See? They were delicious."
"Right..." answered Zuko skeptically. He extended his arm out this time. "Then, you won't mind if I asked to borrow your waterskin for a moment."
The waterbender stopped trying to subtly reach for her fresh water as the Fire Prince called her out on the action. "Of course not," Katara reluctantly muttered as she handed him the water container. As Zuko accepted the waterskin, he clipped it to his own belt and turned back to the fire flake vendor for a moment.
Jin crept over next to her friend and whispered lowly. "Scale of one to ten, how hot were those fire flakes?"
"I think my entire mouth is actually on fire right now," the waterbender gasped lowly.
Zuko returned to the girls holding a cup of fresh yak's milk. "Figured you might enjoy this," the firebender announced as he offered the waterbender the milk. "Much better than water for countering the spicy food heat." Zuko gave an amused smile as he watched Katara gulp down the entire cup of milk in a single go.
Wiping her mouth with her sleeve, Katara grumbled, "That was mean of you."
"I prefer to think of it as educational," the Fire Prince quipped as he handed the Water Tribe girl back her waterskin.
"Can I get some of that milk too?" wheezed Sokka from off to the side. The three of them glanced over to see the Water Tribe boy collapsed on the ground in misery as he weakly stretched out a hand begging for something to counteract the spicy food heat.
A short time later as the four of them explored the festival further, Jin noticed a crowd forming near the center of town. "Look! Something's going on over there! Let's check it out."
Finishing his third glass of milk, Sokka mumbled, "Probably another food stand there with ridiculously overly spicy food."
Paying no attention to the killjoy of the group, Jin led the team over to gathering crowd. There was a stage with a firebender performing several stunts with his firebending. Multiple rings of fire were spinning around on twisting metal poles as the performing firebender leapt through them with a series of fancy aerobatics to the enthusiastic clapping of his entertained audience.
"Not bad," critiqued Zuko as he watched with a discerning eye. "He knows a couple of tricks. Still, there's several performers in the Fire Capital that are much better." The Fire Prince looked over the cheering onlookers. "But it is a good show regardless. He is amusing the crowd very well."
The performing firebender completed his current act. "Thank you! Thank you! You all are too kind!" He clapped his hands together. "Okay, for my next trick, I'm going to need a volunteer from the audience!"
The Fire Prince rolled his eyes. "He probably has a plant among the audience to play along with his performance."
The firebending acrobat's eyes settled upon Katara. "How about you, little lady? Mind if I steal you away from your boyfriend for a minute to be a part of the show?"
Katara backed away a step as she leaned closer onto Zuko's arm. "Uh, I don't think that's a good idea." So much for not calling attention to themselves.
The firebender acrobat didn't appear discouraged. In fact, he looked thrilled at the opportunity to play the situation up to the crowd. "Awww, she's shy. Let's give her some encouragement folks!"
As the crowd started clapping and cheering, Zuko whispered into Katara's ear, "We'll make a scene if we try to back away now. I'll be right here in the front of the stage in case anything happens."
Katara nodded as she slowly started to make her way up onto the stage to the crowd's excitement. The performer had the waterbender sit down in a wooden chair that an attendant placed center stage. The firebender acrobat pulled out some rope and loosely tied the waterbender to the piece of furniture. "Let's give our volunteer another hand everyone!"
As the crowd clapped louder, Katara observed as Zuko shoved his way to the front of the crowd to stand in the center as the first member in the audience, closest to the stage. His presence calmed her nerves somewhat.
The firebender acrobat summoned a large dragon purely out of fire as it flew brightly across the night sky, illuminating the entire town. The performer held the dragon with a rope made of firebending. "This next trick is called, 'Taming the Dragon!' Our captured princess is in danger! But fear not, young maiden! For I shall tame this fiery beast!"
The Water Tribe girl saw he Brother trying to get closer to the stage as Jin held him back, trying to calm him down. Zuko was standing front and center of the audience with a frown on his face and his arms crossed.
"Oh no!" exclaimed the performer dramatically. "The fire! It's too strong! I can't hold it!" The fire dragon conjured by the acrobat swirled around several times as it rose in the sky and turned, dropping down towards the tied up waterbender in the chair. "The rope, it's breaking!" cried out the performer as his firebending rope flickered and disappeared.
Katara wasn't exactly sure when Zuko moved, but one second the Fire Prince had been standing amongst the crowd and the next second, he was on-stage standing directly in front of Katara while conjuring a fire dragon of his own. Zuko's firebending dragon dwarfed the one created by the acrobat and roared loudly as the two firebending constructs collided, both bursting into an array of glittering sparks that shined and shimmered as the ashes flickered downward.
"Hey, you trying to upstage me, kid?" cursed the performer under his breath with a gruff-sounding tone as he momentarily dropped his stage voice.
The awkward moment on the stage lasted a moment longer before a familiar voice cut across the platform. "And when all hope appeared lost, a brave prince rose up to save his beloved princess! With all the skill and finesse of a dragon himself!" proclaimed Jin assertively from the side of the stage with a bullhorn in her hands.
"Where did you get a stage caller's horn?" whispered Zuko to his friend.
"Not now!" hushed Jin as she covered the bullhorn with one of her hands. "And you better break out some firebending moves!" Jin turned back to the confused crowd, uncovering the bullhorn as she smiled and beamed, "But it wasn't over yet, folks! Our hero still had to fight his way out of the dragon's den!"
Realizing that was his cue, Zuko flowed through the initial movements of one of his firebending training forms as he launched an enormous burst of fire into the sky with a punch. Then, the Fire Prince turned in the opposite direction and repeated similar motions only to end with a kick this time. Deciding that he should conclude was a showy and grand finish, Zuko faced the assembled crowd of onlookers and smirked to himself as he pulled up his mask and breathed out a skyward plume of fire from his mouth like a dragon would.
The audience exploded into cheers of delight at the display of firebending prowess as Zuko untied Katara and they both gave a bow. "And they lived happily ever after! You've all been a great crowd! Thank you everyone!" narrated Jin with her bullhorn from the side of the stage, relishing her impromptu assumption of becoming a show caller.
As the Earth Kingdom girl walked by the firebending acrobat, she tossed him back his stage caller's horn. "Next time you select a volunteer, maybe you shouldn't pick one with a jealous boyfriend," Jin smirked.
"I'll keep that in mind," grumbled the acrobat, irked at being upstaged at his own trick.
After that, Zuko, Katara, Jin, and Sokka tried their luck at a couple of the game stalls. The first game had several wooden targets lined up for the player to throw darts at the bullseye. It took Zuko a practice throw, but he managed to hit the bull's eye with his second attempt. Sokka brushed the Fire Prince aside and lined up his shot while bragging how he could do better.
The Water Tribe boy missed wide. With an irritated expression on his face to mirror the amused one on Zuko's face, Sokka looked off to the side before pointing with his finger and exclaiming, "What' that?!" As Zuko, Katara, Jin, and the game stall owner all looked in the direction that Sokka had pointed, the Water Tribe boy pulled out his boomerang and let the projectile fly.
Boomerang swiftly cut through several of the wooden target boards, returning to Sokka's hand as everyone looked back at the game stall. "Top that!" cheered Sokka proudly. A couple of minutes later, a humbled Sokka was painting a couple new target boards with an irate game stall owner standing over him with his arms crossed.
The next game stall was similar to the first game stall, but this one had six cans stacked up on a table with three cans across and three cans tall in a pyramid shape with a couple of beanbags for the player to toss. It took both Zuko and Sokka all three throws each, but they both managed to knock all their cans down.
Then, the two boys heard the sound of all the cans being knocked over in the third lane as Katara succeeded on her first throw by observing them and realizing that she needed to strike at the bottom row of cans, just a little off center to get everything all at once. Jin was congratulating the Water Tribe girl, while the boys were a little miffed at being outdone.
Continuing down the line of games, there was a strength challenge known as the 'High Striker' that had a weight slider and a bell at the top. The objective was to strike the bottom button base with a hammer to launch the weight up along the scale and make the bell ring at the very top.
Katara excitedly grabbed the hammer first and swung in down over her head as the bell only flew up about halfway. "This one is harder than it looks," she commented.
"That's just because you don't have any upper body strength," replied Sokka as he took the hammer from his Sister. "Watch this." Swinging the mallet around a couple of times overhead with the exaggeration of gathering speed and strength, Sokka swung the hammer downward and watched as the weight only flew up to reach around the three-fourth marker. "This game is clearly rigged," grumbled Sokka in disappointment.
The Fire Prince accepted the hammer from the Water Tribe boy and raised it over head as he struck the button pretty close to the center. The weight sailed up and just barely impacted the bell, making a slight ringing sound. "Looks fair to me," Zuko gloated.
As Sokka was about to fire back an insult, everyone saw Jin motion for the hammer from Zuko, who willingly handed the tool over to her. Jin lined herself up in front of the game and held the hammer high up over her head. A couple of the other patrons were smirking as they saw her arms shake at the weight of the mallet, but Zuko and Katara noticed the hidden smirk that appeared on the Earth Kingdom girl's face. Stepping forward with a mighty stomp as she released the hammer down, Jin sent up a quick notch of earth from underneath the weight that sent it flying upwards as she hit the button base. The weight struck the bell, but didn't stop there as it sailed off the scale and flew a small distance away.
Jin dropped the hammer and collected her prize from a stunned game stall owner who was staring wide-eyed with his mouth agape at the broken game. Several of the other patrons were doing the same. Katara rushed a laughing Jin away with the rest of the group before anyone could start asking questions. "That was a little reckless of you," scolded the waterbender.
"Maybe, but look at what I won!" reveled Jin as she held up a small plushie of a fire ferret. "It's so cute!" Katara relented in her scolding of her friend at the sight of the adorable toy animal.
"I think we've enjoyed the festival enough for one evening," concluded Zuko. "I saw the inn over that way. Time to call it a night."
Although Jin still wanted to explore a couple of areas that they hadn't gone to yet, the Earth Kingdom girl agreed as a sudden burst of tiredness washed over her. It had been a long day of travel.
As Zuko booked two rooms at the inn, Sokka grabbed one of the keys out of the Fire Prince's hand and tossed the key to his Sister. "That one's for you and Jin. Zuko and I will take the other."
Annoyed at her Brother for pointing out the rooming arrangement that they would have likely settled on in the first place, Katara decided to tease her Brother a bit. The Water Tribe girl looked at Jin and it was obvious that the Earth Kingdom girl would back up Katara's teasing instantly. Putting her hand on her hips, Katara asked Sokka, "Are you really that afraid of sharing a room with Jin?"
"What?!" stuttered the Water Tribe boy in shock at the audacity of his Sister's boldness. Somehow managing to find his composure once again, Sokka spat back out, "Of course I'm not afraid! I'd share a room with Jin if I had too."
Entering the conversation, Jin easily played along with Katara's teasing. "Oh? Only if you had to? I can't believe you think so little of me Sokka. That hurts my feelings."
Sokka was unable to come up with a suitable response as he stumbled over each sentence he attempted to piece together. The poor boy had no idea what was going on.
Zuko rolled his eyes. As amusing as this was to watch, the Fire Prince was tired and all he really wanted was to go to sleep. "Enough messing with your Brother, Katara. He's too easy of a target."
Katara and Jin shifted their attention from the Water Tribe boy over to the Fire Prince.
"Zuko, I'm shocked! Did you secretly want to share a room with me? How scandalous!" stated Jin with mock sincerity.
"How could you?!" reinforced Katara fake hurt in her tone.
Shaking his head, Zuko grabbed a bewildered Sokka by the back cuff of the Water Tribe boy's tunic and dragged him away before this series of teasing could continue any further. Exploding with laughter, Katara and Jin eventually followed as the boys and girls entered their respective side-by-side rooms for the evening.
The next morning, as they proceeded downstairs, Zuko narrowed his eyes as he looked around the lobby of the inn. No one noticed except for Katara, who knew the look the Fire Prince had when he didn't like something. "What is it?"
"Just keep acting like normal, and don't look around. I'm not completely sure, but I think we're being watched," the Fire Prince answered lowly. Katara was suddenly on guard as well as she listened to his instructions and the group departed the inn.
As the four teenagers walked down the mostly empty early morning street, Zuko led them down a couple of extra turns throughout the village. Sokka complained, saying that if they were lost, then Zuko should just tell them and let the Water Tribe boy lead the way. After the latest turn, Zuko quietly slipped away into an alley as Sokka turned the corner.
"Oh great. Did he just ditch us?" grumbled Sokka as they walked forward a bit more. Suddenly, the three remaining teens heard the sound of a blade being drawn. Spinning around Sokka, Katara, and Jin saw Zuko grab and pull a short, cloaked man into a nearby alleyway. Rushing over, the three of them observed the Fire Prince roughly holding the man against a building's brick wall in that alleyway, the firebender's left forearm pressed firmly across the man's chest as he held a small Earth Kingdom dagger to the man's stomach.
"Why are you following us? Who are you?" demanded Zuko as the man ceased trying to struggle. The Fire Prince pulled back the cloak covering the man's face.
Sokka stared at the features of the slovenly looking man for a minute as his brain slowly recalled a memory of that face. "Wait a minute, I know you. You're Chey, aren't you?"
The man looked back and forth between Zuko and Sokka nervously before he gave a slight smile to try and break the tension. "Friends! I was so happy to find you again!"
"You know this guy Sokka?" asked Zuko as he pushed Chey against the wall again to quiet him.
Sokka released the grip he had on his whalebone club. "Unfortunately. Chey introduced Aang and I to this firebender named Jeong Jeong a while ago. We had been looking for someone to teach Aang firebending at the time. But it did not go well. Aang burned Appa and swore off firebending."
Zuko looked back at Chey suspiciously. "Jeong Jeong? You know Jeong Jeong?" Chey nodded his head vigorously up and down while weakly trying to push away the dagger Zuko kept pressed to the man's stomach.
As the Fire Prince mentally debated something inwardly for a moment, Jin spoke up. "You still haven't answered my friend. Why were you following us?"
Chey shrugged. "I thought I recognized a banished prince. Lucky me, turns out I was right."
"And what did you want with him?" pressed Katara. She didn't like the fact that someone in the Fire Colonies had recognized Zuko. Maybe walking around here last night hadn't been the smartest of ideas.
"I bring people together. Consider me a middle man of sorts," replied Chey with a half-answer. "I brought the Avatar and one of the greatest firebenders of all time together, even if that didn't turn out too great..." Chey mumbled the last part of that sentence to himself lowly.
Before anyone else could say anything, Zuko seemed to make up his mind. "Is Jeong Jeong nearby?" Chey gave a quick head nod. "Take us to him," ordered the Fire Prince.
"Not you too..." groaned Sokka.
"Do you know this Jeong Jeong?" asked Jin earnestly.
Zuko shook his head as he released Chey and replaced his dagger back in his boot. "Not personally. But everyone in the Fire Nation knows of Jeong Jeong. He is known as 'The Deserter.' He is the most highly ranked member of the our nation's Army or Navy to abandon his post and live. He used to be the teacher for a great number of important members of the Fire Nation forces."
"He couldn't take the madness anymore!" supplied Chey as he rubbed the part of his stomach where Zuko's knife tip had been. "He's a legend! A firebending genius! Some call him mad, but he's not. He's enlightened!"
"We're already going to see him," grumbled Sokka as he knew his protests would fall on deaf ears. Both Jin and Katara already looked interested in meeting this firebender. "You can quit building this guy up. I already met him once before and I wasn't impressed. He was a horrible teacher for Aang."
"We've met a supposed enlightened guru before," recalled Jin. "He wasn't all that great either."
"It can't hurt to just talk to him," offered Katara.
Sokka's hands shot up into the air as he exasperated, "That's what you said about the festival!"
"Oh quiet, you had a good time with the festival games and food," noted Jin as the group departed the town with Chey leading the way.
About an hour into the nearby forest, Zuko became tense again as he reached for the Dao broadswords on his belt loop. Several tribal warriors emerged from the brush around the trees, all armed with spears, straw hats, and war tribal face paint.
"Unless you want a fight, don't even think about it," ordered the leader of the ambushers.
"Lin Yee!" greeted Chey happily. "I found the Fire Prince!"
Lin Yee looked very annoyed. "First the Avatar and now the banished Fire Prince. Do you know how to keep a low profile? Because I'm starting to suspect you deserted the Fire Nation just to make trouble for everyone else."
"Yup, this all feels very familiar," observed Sokka sarcastically.
"Be quiet! All of you! Keep moving!" Lin Yee ordered as the group continued onward through the forest until they came across a small camp amongst the trees. Another tribal warrior from the camp approach Lin Yee and whispered in his ear. Lin Yee turned back to face everyone else. "He'll see Chey first."
Zuko nodded his head. "I understand. We arrived uninvited and unannounced. I shall wait."
Lin Yee's eyes hovered on the Fire Prince for another couple of moments before he looked back at Chey when the cloaked man still hadn't moved. "Chey, get going." The ex-Fire Nation soldier gave the group a thumbs up to the group as he walked towards a small cottage on top of a nearby hill.
"He's going to get scolded again," noted Sokka as Jin and Katara looked at the Water Tribe boy. A couple of minutes later, Chey emerged from the cottage looking dejected. "Told you," laughed Sokka.
"What happened?" asked Jin as Chey approached them. "Was he mad?"
"He's... not thrilled about me bringing the Fire Prince here. Said something about it not being time yet?" answered Chey oddly. Chey glanced over at Zuko. "Still, despite his yelling, Master Jeong Jeong did seem a bit intrigued by you."
"How can you tell?" asked Sokka as he crossed his arms.
Chey smiled happily. "Well, for one, he didn't order us to harm you all or keep you as prisoners here."
Sokka was immediately on guard as he gripped his whalebone club once more. "What?! Jeong Jeong didn't threaten to do that last time I was here!"
"That's because the Avatar needed to travel and learn," continued to smile Chey. "Fire Prince Zuko is a wildcard. One that shake things up amongst the Fire Royalty hierarchy."
Zuko stared at the small cottage on top of the nearby hill. "All the more reason that I must meet with Master Jeong Jeong. I have questions that I hope he can answer."
Chey rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, no can do my prince. Jeong Jeong wants all of you to leave."
"I'll go," replied Zuko. "After I talk to him." The Fire Prince started to walk up the hill despite Chey's protests.
Stopping a short ways from the entrance to the cottage, Zuko knelt on both knees and took a mediative pose. Chey's protests ceased as the cloaked man looked at Zuko oddly. "Now what are you doing?"
Zuko breathed in deeply before exhaling calmly. "Waiting," the young firebender answered simply without any further response.
Sokka slumped down onto a fallen log as he placed his chin in his hand and grumbled, "We're in for a long day, aren't we?"
Katara and Jin took seats nearby the Water Tribe boy. "Well, we're not going if Zuko's not going," stated the waterbender. "So get comfortable, because who knows how long this will take."
Jin dug around in her bag as she pulled out the small pouch of Pai Sho tiles her Grandmother had given her. Holding them up, the Earth Kingdom girl asked, "If we're just going to be sitting around here anyway, would you like to play a game to pass the time?"
Katara reached into her satchel as well and found her leather bag of Pai Sho tiles, gifted by Camila, as well. "Sure!"
With that, the two girls set up their game on the wooden stump next to the fallen log as Sokka begrudgingly watched over their shoulders. The Water Tribe boy didn't have anything else to do at the moment.
The rest of the day passed slowly as Zuko remained stoically waiting outside of Jeong Jeong's cabin. Sokka had long since gotten bored and declared that he would go hunting in the woods. Apparently the Water Tribe boy had seen deer wandering in the trees earlier when they had been walking along. When the girls offered to accompany the rookie hunter, Sokka claimed that he didn't need their help and he would soon be back with dinner. The waterbender and the earthbender both very much doubted that.
Katara and Jin played several games of Pai Sho before eventually growing tired of that. Sokka hadn't returned yet and the two of them were about to go out searching when Lin Yee arrived with a watersoaked Water Tribe boy over his shoulder. The tribal warrior flatly stated that Sokka had fallen into the nearby river chasing after a fleeing deer like a buffoon monkey.
Attempting to defend himself, Sokka fell into a sneezing fit as the girls guided him to the campfire to warm back up. As night fell, Katara brought a bowl of warm soup to Zuko, but the Fire Prince kindly refused, claiming that he would be sure to eat later. The waterbender left he soup bowl next to the Fire Prince as she turned in for the night.
The next morning, Zuko was still sitting outside of Jeong Jeong's cabin, simply waiting patiently. When his friends were just about to call out to the Fire Prince to tell him that this plan of his wasn't working, the front door of the cabin opened slightly.
Katara, Jin, and Sokka couldn't see a figure in the door frame, but someone seemed to call out to Zuko from within, because the Fire Prince nodded his head once and stood up. With a glance back at his friends, Zuko proceeded inside the cabin.
The shadows flicked within the interior of the small abode, the only light coming from a scattering of candles arranged in a small semi-circle in the middle of the single room. Jeong Jeong sat within the concave side of the candle arc.
"You appear to have learned patience," observed the old firebender master as the Fire Prince entered the room and bowed in respect.
Kneeing a short distance away, the Zuko replied, "I have learned a great many things during my time in the Earth Kingdom. I can only hope that I continue to learn."
If Jeong Jeong was surprised at the Fire Prince's humble response, the old man didn't show it. The dim glow of the candles silhouetting the firebending master's face made reading facial expression difficult. Glaring his eyes, Jeong Jeong got straight to the point. "Why have you sought me out?"
"This is a chance encounter, nothing more," stated Zuko evenly. "I did not know you were here. My friends and I would have passed right on by if not for Chey stalking us in the nearby town. We were enroute to rendezvous with the Water Tribe warriors fighting on the Earth Kingdom coastline."
Zuko couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard the old firebending master grumbling something about meddling scouts. Composing himself once more, Jeong Jeong continued his line of questioning. "And what does an exiled Fire Prince wish to accomplish fighting alongside Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom allies?"
Returning the old master's firm glare with one of his own, Zuko proudly proclaimed, "My destiny."
Jeong Jeong's face grew displeased. "I have heard talk of destiny before. From a foolish young Avatar who sought his own destruction pursuing a destiny he did not fully understand."
"With respect, I am not Aang," fiercely returned Zuko. "I do not know the tribulations he has or has not faced or experiences he has or has not learned. Only my own."
The Fire Prince settled into a bit of a monologue. "I had once thought my destiny was to capture that same Avatar. Bind him in chains and bring him before my to my Father. Resume my rightful place by my Father's side." Zuko gave a humorless chuckle. "My journey has revealed to me just how shortsighted that way of thinking was. This world does not need another Ozai. It needs someone who can put an end to the Fire Nation's aggression."
"And you are this person?" scoffed Jeong Jeong. "Perhaps, you retain more arrogance than I realized."
Shaking his head slightly, Zuko disagreed. "I will not be enough on my own. I have yet to meet anyone who is enough on their own. But I am not alone anymore."
"You are still the son of Ozai, of Azulon and Sozin. This war, this suffering. It was caused by your family. You cannot change this fact," accused Jeong Jeong sharply. "And still you believe that you have the right to put an end to this conflict?"
"It is because I am part of my family that I must. This war. It began by our hands. By our hands it must be undone. That is my destiny. To restore honor to the Fire Nation and right these wrongs," declared Zuko unflinchingly. "I am the Prince of the Fire Nation. Who would I be, if I did not try to make my nation better?"
Jeong Jeong was silent for a long time. Zuko almost thought that the conversation was over and the old firebending master was just waiting for the Fire Prince to leave, when Jeong Jeong finally acknowledged. "Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it."
"Most men have not experienced what I have," answered Zuko unwaveringly.
"Hmm..." considered the old firebending master as he looked down at the candles in the room.
Feeling emboldened that Jeong Jeong had not cast him out yet, Zuko decided to take a gamble and ask the question that had nagging at him ever since Chey told him that Jeong Jeong was nearby. "Why did you leave the Fire Navy?" inquired the Fire Prince.
Jeong Jeong's head snapped up abruptly from his thoughts as the glare on the man's face returned twice as strong as before. "That... is none of your concern."
Undeterred, Zuko pressured again. "I know what the Fire Sages say about you. They say that you are a coward and a traitor to the Fire Nation. That you betrayed the Fire Lord's trust."
"Hah!" snorted Jeong Jeonged. "Leave it to the Fire Sages to twist the truth so that the Fire Lord does no wrong. It was my trust that was betrayed."
Realizing that he had just managed to get his foot in the door, Zuko nodded. "I have begun to realize that there are a great number of things taught to the people of the Fire Nation that ring hollow. This is something that I must change."
Another pause fell over the two. Then, Jeong Jeong continued the conversation. "I left the Fire Navy eleven years ago, when you were still a mere whelp of a boy. And in that time, this war has only continued to rage on endlessly. I lamented when Prince Lu Ten passed, when Ozai was chosen over General Iroh as the next Fire Lord. The bright future that General Iroh could have made for the Fire Nation was lost when Ozai ascended the throne."
The old firebending master glared at Zuko once more. "I have observed the wickedness in your Sister's heart and the what I had believed to be imprudence in your own. I grieved for the future of our nation."
Jeong Jeong waved his hand over the flames of the candles in front of him. "Fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery." Clutching the small flame above one of the candles in the palm of his hand, the firebending master shut his fist and snuffed out the glow. "Eventually, we are torn apart."
With his head held low, Jeong Jeong continued his piece. "At first, I thought we were fighting for honor, for the security of the Fire Nation." The old master shook his head. "A young, naive fool, just like the rest of them. It took so long for me to realize that what we were really fighting for was wealth and land."
Punching the ground with his fist, Jeong Jeong grit his teeth. "I was ashamed. I tried to challenge the way of thinking that had entrenched itself within the minds of our people. But I might as well have been trying to alter the course of an erupting volcano."
Shifting his eyes back upward, Jeong Jeong finished his story. "Firebending is the burning curse. And we are all infected. Each day, the Fire Nation only marches further along the path to its own destruction. Guided by those drunk on their own power, and enforced by those too blind to see a different way. This is why I have secluded myself away."
Zuko's fists tightened at the harsh critique, but he didn't refute it. He had been imprudent for a long time. And Jeong Jeong's view of the Fire Nation was more accurate than Zuko wanted to admit. Still, he wanted to make it known that he still believed in the Fire Nation that his Uncle wanted to create.
Determined to speak his own part, Zuko stated, "My Uncle's vision for the Fire Nation isn't gone. I carry his lessons with me everyday." Then, to himself inwardly, the Fire Prince added, 'I'm just frustrated with myself that it took me this long to realize what my Uncle had been trying to tell me for all these years. I really am a slow learner.'
Then, the Fire Prince shook his head. 'But I do learn,' Zuko resolutely thought to himself. Focusing on Jeong Jeong, Zuko added to his previous statement. "Honor is in right action. And courage, on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. Goodness, the conviction to do what is right and just, is here." Reaching up with his index finger, Zuko touched the temple of his forehead, right above his left eye. "And here." Shifting his index finger from his head, Zuko then touched his heart. "And what we decide to do each day, that will determine if we are good men or not."
The old firebending master found himself at a loss of words at the Fire Prince's rebuttal. Clearly, Jeong Jeong had not been expecting that kind of response from what he had thought was an overly proud prince. For the briefest of moments, Jeong Jeong thought he saw a bit of a younger version of Iroh within the brat seated before him, back when the two old men were still young and hopeful for the world.
Unbidden, Jeong Jeong recalled his last encounter with the Dragon of the West, back before the old master had secluded himself from the world. "A Fire Lord may move a man, a General may order a soldier, but remember, that man can also move himself," stated a memory of an Iroh from over a decade ago as the Dragon of the West talked to the back of a slightly younger Jeong Jeong who was walking away. "And only then, does that man truly begin his own game. Remember that how so ever you are played or by whom, your soul is in your keeping alone."
It was a far-off distant memory, so far in fact that Jeong Jeong had long since forgotten it. But right now, in this moment, this young Fire Prince reminded Jeong Jeong of the parting words he had once received from the Dragon of the West. Perhaps it was because this young prince had decided to move himself. The lad's words certainly had the conviction of a man who was determined to make his own way.
Casting aside that errant thought, Jeong Jeong attempted to compose himself once more. The old firebending master had been moving himself too. That's why he had secluded himself away, right? That had been his choice. And yet, that didn't seem completely accurate anymore for some reason.
There had been another long pause as Jeong Jeong reflected within himself. Zuko took that opportunity to formulate another response to the old master's previous words.
"You are not wrong, about firebending that is," affirmed Zuko. "Fire can be destructive and wild. This much is true." He waved his own hand over the candle flames. "But you are not entirely right either. There is another side to fire."
"Do not attempt to lecture a master," snapped Jeong Jeong heatedly, the new comment allowing him to focus on the exchange again. "You may have some insight on what must be done for the Fire Nation, but the nature of firebending is a truth that remains unchanged."
In response, Zuko stood. Then, slowly, meticulously, he assumed a basic firebending stance. A form that any beginning firebender probably learned first. "Then," began the Fire Prince calmly. "Allow me to demonstrate the truth that I have learned."
Before Jeong Jeong could retort again, Zuko started to twist his hips in a wide arc as he moved his body and arms in a circular motion. It wasn't long before a vortex of fire sparked and swirled, like kindling bursting into life.
"If you think you can..." started Jeong Jeong as the words caught in his throat. He saw Prince Zuko's flames, swirling and dancing around the interior of the cabin. Brighter, warmer, welcoming. This was a side of firebending that even Jeong Jeong had not witnessed during all his time training others in the Fire Nation. General Iroh's firebending might have been the most similar, but even the Dragon of the West's firebending still held a hint of destruction, a hint of pain. Jeong Jeong could only stare as the fire spun around the room, calming and gentle; life.
As he observed the fiery whirlwind, Jeong Jeong could have sworn he saw the visage of Avatar Roku staring back at him from within the blaze. And not only Roku, but a dragon as well. Gleaming, almost metallic black scales and a fierce maw, ready to set ablaze any who dared challenge the reptile. An ancient beast, one far older and wiser than any Jeong Jeong had seen before the extinction of the legendary creatures.
Eventually, the flames died down and the only light that remained in the room was the return of the soft glow from the scattered candles. Jeong Jeong's vision refocused on the Fire Prince, a newly calculating look in the old firebending master's eyes.
Sternly, Jeong Jeong asked, "Why do you want to fight?" Then, before Zuko could answer, the old firebender added, "What are you fighting for?"
As he sat back down, Zuko declared, "I am still not as capable as the first masters. My fire does not hold the same colors and mysteries as theirs, but I have learned that fire is not all destruction and pain. It is also life and warmth. It doesn't have to be the instrument of war that my family has warped and twisted it into. It doesn't have to be the savage ideology that we have hammered into the schools of our nation and taught our people. Our country has to change. I fight to bring that change."
A low, deep chuckle started from deep in Jeong Jeong's belly as it grew louder and louder until the old firebender was shaking with uncontained laughter. "Your Father once claimed that suffering would be your teacher. I wish to see the look on his face when he realizes the lessons you have learned," noted the firebending master.
Zuko stood as he bowed again. "That mean a lot, coming from you. Far few of our own people have been brave enough to attempt to stop the spread of pain and suffering that our Armies and Navies have inflicted upon the world."
"I am not as brave as you think, my Prince," declared Jeong Jeong as he stood himself and returned the bow. "I have been afraid for a long time. Of fire, and of myself. I have been running incessantly."
"As have I," confessed Zuko. "But my friends outside have shown me that we can only truly be brave, when we are afraid."
Jeong Jeong grinned. "Those sound like some good friends." He gestured towards the cabin door. "I would like very much to meet them."
Both firebenders emerged from the small abode and approached the others. "Master Jeong Jeong, I believe you have already met Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe," noted Zuko as he began the introductions.
"We are... acquainted," nodded the old firebender as he judgmentally loomed over the Water Warrior.
"Likewise," stated Sokka with indifference, crossing his arms in a huff.
"This is Jin, an earthbender from the heartlands of the Earth Kingdom," continued the Fire Prince.
"Greeting young lady," bowed Jeong Jeong cordially.
"It is nice to meet you," answered Jin respectfully.
Zuko stepped up next to the waterbender. "Most importantly, this is Katara, a master waterbender, daughter of Hakoda, who is the Chieftain of the Southern Water Tribes, and she is one of the most stouthearted people I have ever met."
Jeong Jeong raised an eyebrow at the amount of detail the waterbender received in comparsion to the rest of Zuko's friends, but said nothing about it. Instead, he bowed affably once again as he greeted shrewdly, "It is my honor to make the acquaintance of one held in such high regard by the Prince of the Fire Nation."
Slightly embarrassed at the amount of attention she was receiving, Katara bowed humbly in response to hide the color on her face. "It is a pleasure to meet an esteemed master such as yourself."
"Hey, wait a minute," complained Sokka. "How come Katara got a longer introduction than I did?"
Jeong Jeong looked over at Zuko. Shrugging his shoulders with a sigh, Zuko simply added, "Her older Brother."
The old firebending master turned towards the waterbender and stated, "I see. You must be the one who taught the Fire Prince about patience. I can't imagine growing up around your Brother was easy without learning some sort of mental fortitude or calming endurance."
Jin gave a snicker at the joke Jeong Jeong had made while Sokka looked extremely miffed at being on the receiving end of that joke.
Jeong Jeong scanned the area. "Still, this Water Tribe boy was with the Avatar previously. But I don't see the Avatar anywhere. Where is Avatar Aang?"
The expressions of the four teens dropped. "The news must not have reached you yet," stated Zuko, the first to speak up. "My Sister seriously harmed Aang with her lightningbending. Katara managed to heal him, but Aang has yet to wake up." The Fire Prince made a stern face. "And even if he does wake up soon, he may not be strong enough to fight. We don't know the extent of his wound or if Aang can master all the elements in time. We may have to face the Fire Lord without his aid."
Jeong Jeong's expression grew grim. "Ill news indeed. And just before the return of Sozin's comet and the coming of the Black Sun."
Sokka's jaw dropped as he began to stutter incoherently. Jin approached her friend with concern. "You alright, Sokka? You're making even less sense than usual."
Paying the Earth Kingdom girl no mind, Sokka finally managed to string together an actual sentence as he demanded loudly, "How do you know about those!" There was an accusatory finger pointed directly at Jeong Jeong's face.
Pushing the offending arm away, Jeong Jeong's gaze met the young Water Tribe boy. "There is a reason why the Fire Nation has pursued me all these years. A reason why my desertion was made public and my name dishonored and shamed. I am not the first Fire Nation deserter of this war, merely the highest ranked apostate."
"And why is that?" pressed Sokka critically.
Continuing on, the old firebending master stated, "I was an Admiral, who trained many important firebenders and who was entrusted with very sensitive information."
Jeong Jeong turned towards the Fire Prince. "I doubt you would know about this secret, Prince Zuko. This information was known only to the Fire Lord, a select few high ranking military officers, and the Director of the Ministry of Science. Any others who learned of it," Jeong Jeong's face grew dark, "Were silenced, immediately and discreetly."
A hush fell over the gathered group. Taking a step forward, Zuko proclaimed, "I need to know. What would cause my Father to kill to keep this information quiet?"
When Jeong Jeong looked at the other teenagers, Zuko added, "It seems Sokka always knows, but kept it from the rest of us. But he would have told his Father. Which means the combined Southern Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom resistance forces already know. There is little point in keeping whatever this is a secret anymore."
Nodding, the old firebender acknowledged the Fire Prince's reasoning. Jeong Jeong's next sentence revealed one of the Fire Nation's most closely guarded secrets. "The Day of Black Sun. Known as the darkest day in Fire Nation history. It is a time when all firebending, ceases to function."
Zuko looked tense while Katara and Jin gasped. Sokka was beyond frustrated. Jeong Jeong had just revealed that the Fire Nation already knew about their greatest weakness. And not only that, but the Fire Nation had always known.
Jeong Jeong continued. "The Day of Black Sun is an astrological event. The moon will pass between our planet and the sun. This is known as a solar eclipse. I know that this event has occurred in our past, but only the Fire Lord and the Director of the Ministry of Science are privy to the exact details. Still, the Science Director was highly confident years ago that he had calculated the correct instance of the upcoming eclipse. I can only assumed that he has doubled checked his findings numerous times since I left."
"When?" came the immediate demand from the Fire Prince.
"The first day of the eight month of this year," answered Jeong Jeong with the same degree of haste. "Sometime around midday, for eight full minutes, all firebending will cease as the moon blocks out the entire sun during a total solar eclipse. The Fire Lord and all firebenders will be defenseless without their firebending to aid them," explained Jeong Jeong.
"Eight minutes isn't a lot of time," commented Zuko with a grim expression.
"On the battlefield, it is a lifetime," astutely observed the former Admiral.
Sokka was freaking out. "They know. The Fire Nation knows. I don't believe it. Our one advantage. And the Fire Nation already knows."
"What are you talking about Sokka?" asked Katara, worried about the rant her Brother was beginning to spiral into.
The Water Tribe boy looked up at his Sister. "The attack on the Fire Nation that we are planning. It's supposed to be on the Day of Black Sun. Aang, Toph, and I, we discovered this information in Wan Shi Tong's library in the middle of the Si Wong desert. I thought we were the only ones who knew."
Sokka scratched his head furiously as he growled out in frustration. "If the Fire Nation already knows about the eclipse, then you can bet that the Fire Lord will definitely already have countermeasures prepared. He'll be ready."
The Water Tribe boy's mind was working overtime as he continued to analyze this new information. "They'll slow us down, if nothing else. Dad and the others, they'll be charging right into a trap. This whole plan relies on speed and surprise. If we lose either one... I don't see how it can work anymore."
As the former Admiral watched the Water Warrior lament the current situation, Jeong Jeong turned to address Zuko once more. "Prince Zuko, you intend to take the Fire Nation from your Father with an army of foreigners?"
Shaking his head, Zuko replied, "I knew Sokka and Hakoda were planning some kind of attack on the Fire Nation, but a full-on assault, I didn't think they would be so bold."
A frown appeared on the Fire Prince's face. "I originally intended to teach Aang firebending, but he is not ready to learn. If the Avatar is unable to stop the Fire Lord, then the confrontation with my Father will fall to me. And if that's the case... then... yes." Determination sparked within those golden young eyes. "I'll go along with their plan. I will get to my Father through any means I must," declared Zuko.
Katara and Jin both looked at Zuko in surprise at his brazen intention. Clearly, the Fire Prince had made his choice. And once Zuko had made up his mind about something, he had a tendency to see it through to the end, regardless of what got in his way.
Jeong Jeong stared critically at the Fire Prince. It was not entirely unheard of for a member of Fire Nation royalty to challenge the sitting Fire Lord for the right to rule. But it was absolutely preposterous to consider that same Fire Royal to do so with a host of foreign soldiers at his back. "You cannot take control of the Fire Capital with foreigners alone," critiqued Jeong Jeong. "The citizens will never accept it. A country changes from within, not without."
"And yet, the only way for that change to occur from within, is for forces from without to aid me. I am an exile. Who would fight for a banished prince? Who am I to make such a request of my people?" replied Zuko.
'More humble than I recall,' assessed Jeong Jeong as he continued to study the Fire Prince. But it was more than that. There was something about this young man. Something that sparked hope and compelled those gathered around to want to follow. Even Jeong Jeong had felt the shift from earlier.
No. That wasn't quite right either. Jeong Jeong had seen the Fire Prince's firebending. The flames themselves were different. Inspirational? Encouraging? Stirring. That was the word. Jeong Jeong felt the urge to want to help. And that feeling made the old firebender feel something else that he had not felt in a long time, a yearning to dream of a honorable Fire Nation.
The words left Jeong Jeong's mouth before he even registered the plan forming in his own mind. "If you continue like this, then we shall have to find a use for you. If the Fire Nation can spare you, that is."
"We?" picked up Zuko quizzically.
Realizing his near slip-up, Jeong Jeong's mind raced to figure out how to cover for almost mentioning the hidden order that he was a part of. Fortunately for him, Zuko had already moved on, focusing instead on the latter portion of Jeong Jeong's comment.
"The Fire Nation does not know of me," sighed the Fire Prince.
"Perhaps," answered Jeong Jeong as he made eye contact, "But I do."
The confusion in Zuko's eyes was apparent. And not only him, but Katara, Jin, and Sokka each shared similar expressions of puzzlement.
Elaborating on his point, Jeong Jeong continued, "There are plenty of people willing to fight, for the right cause." When Zuko returned a serious expression, the old firebending master smirked. "I told you before, I am not the only deserter. Chey!"
A shadow dropped down from the trees, kneeling respectfully on his left knee, his right fist on the ground and his head bowed. "Yes, sir," answered Chey swiftly at his commander's calling.
"How many people have we helped to escape the Fire Army and find a new life elsewhere?" inquired the former Fire Admiral.
"I haven't exactly been keeping a tally," answered Chey.
"Yes you have," retorted Jeong Jeong with a slightly annoyed expression at the impudence of his fellow deserter. "I don't need an exact number anyway. But is there enough to crew a ship?"
"And then some," nodded Chey with a grin.
Reflecting for a moment, Jeong Jeong added, "And how many swore to return the favor if given the chance?"
"Nearly all," acknowledged the cloaked scout. "Although, I do recall you always saying that you had no intention of making them pay any debts."
Jeong Jeong looked back at the Fire Prince. "I didn't have a reason to before. But these men and women once swore an oath to protect the Fire Nation and follow the lead of a true Fire Lord." The old firebending master turned back to Chey. "Now we will see what their words are worth."
The excitement on the scout's face was unhidden. "Yes, sir," answered Chey quickly as he sped off, his skill as an infiltrator on display as he disappeared within the trees.
Addressing the gathered teens once more, Jeong Jeong bowed formally towards Zuko. "We are few in number, but we know the Fire Nation inside and out. We can support the forces you have already gathered. We can be in place to open the way and plant seeds of doubt. When it is time, we can field a small force to represent the Fire Nation, allied with liberators, not conquerors."
Rising back up, Jeong Jeong concluded with, "General Iroh once told me that a single grain of rice can tip the scales. One man, in the right place, at the right time, may be all the difference between victory and defeat."
The Fire Prince's head was spinning at the speed all of this was occurring right in front of him. "You all would fight against your own countrymen?" asked Zuko in surprise.
"We will fight for the Fire Nation, for what the Fire Nation could be, for what the Fire Nation should be," answered Jeong Jeong. "I have not dreamed of this chance a single time since the passing of Prince Lu Ten. That is, until today. You have restored my hope that things can change."
As the Fire Prince was momentarily left stunned at the old firebending master's words, the Water Tribe boy zeroed in on the other part of what he had just heard. "You have people all throughout the Fire Nation? Then, why haven't you done anything about the Fire Lord until now?!" demanded Sokka.
"We are not omnipotent nor is the Fire Lord an easy target." The old firebending master stared intensely at the Water Tribe boy as he posed his own questions. "But suppose we did manage to do away with the Fire Lord. Who would lead after? Do you think Princess Azula would be any different than her Father? Did you think the Prince Zuko of the past would have been a proper leader?" countered Jeong Jeong.
Grumbling with curt "no," Sokka's shoulders slumped back down, the wind taken from his sails before he could get started.
A pause fell over the group. Taking the opportunity to ask about the other astrological event, Katara spoke up with, "What about Sozin's Comet?"
Jeong Jeong sighed. "If the Day of Black Sun is when the Fire Nation is at its weakest, then Sozin's Comet is when it is at its most powerful. The comet used to be known as the Great Comet and it passes close to the Earth once every hundred years." The old firebender's face darkened. "After Sozin's genocide against the Air Nomads, the comet received its new title as a pale attempt to justify that ridiculous atrocity. But whatever you call it, when the comet arrives, firebenders are able to harness their bending with far greater force than you can possibly imagine. It is poetically written in the history books that it grants firebenders the gift of a hundred suns."
As the waterbender and earthbender gulped with anxiety at the implications, Zuko demanded to know, "How long does it last?"
"Around forty three minutes according to previous records in the Fire Lord's archives," replied the old firebender.
Jin gasped. "That's more that five times as long as how long the Day of Black Sun lasts!"
"The universe just loves giving the Fire Nation every advantage it can," mocked Sokka angrily.
Attempting to keep the focus, Zuko astutely surmised, "I assume the comet will arrive sometime after the Day of Black Sun? Otherwise, this whole conversation is pointless."
Jeong Jeong grinned at the deductive reasoning of the Fire Prince. "You are correct. The comet is set to arrive at the end of summer, approximately one month after the eclipse."
"So if we fail during the eclipse, then we have one month to await the Fire Nation's counterattack?" assessed Katara.
"We have one month to await the Fire Nation's next genocide," corrected Jeong Jeong. "Fire Lord Ozai is very much the echo of Fire Lord Sozin. Ozai has the ambition, the ruthlessness, and the zeal. He will stop at nothing to enslave the world under his dominion alone. He will use the comet to snuff out any remaining resistance to his conquest."
"It won't get that far," determined Zuko with resolve.
"We have contingencies in place as well," came the automatic reply from Jeong Jeong. When the young teenagers looked up at the old firebender, he realized that he said 'we' again.
Silently cursing to himself for being so careless with his manner of speech, Jeong Jeong changed the subject. "One last thing I must tell you, my Prince. Your Uncle has been imprisoned within the depths of the Magma Slags."
As Zuko's attention was effectively diverted, Jeong Jeong continued, "This is not common knowledge. It was officially announced that the Dragon of the West died during the Siege of the North. Azula managed to capture him quietly in Ba Sing Se and Ozai is keeping him alive in the event General Iroh might still hold some value to the Fire Lord. But given the state of things, I do not know how long that fragile situation will last."
Zuko looked torn. His immediate instinct was to say that he wanted to rush off to rescue his Uncle. But he was quickly assuming new obligations as well. He needed to lead his people to regain their nation. He should be at the front of this battle. Guru Pathik's statements between love and duty were returning, unbeckoned, to his mind.
"We should rescue him," declared Katara, loudly, boldly. When Zuko looked at her, stunned, Katara added, "Family always comes first."
"I can't put Uncle ahead of the lives of so many others," rationalized Zuko.
Jeong Jeong bent his knee to Zuko. "I was to play a role in the preparations against Sozin's Comet, but I now believe my place is to restore my country, serving a Lord worthy of the title. There is still much fight left in these old bones. I will gather forces loyal to you while you rescue the Dragon of the West. General Iroh's safe return will vastly strengthen morale and rally much of the citizenry to your side. General Iroh was always more beloved than Fire Lord Ozai. If you command it, I will join your forces with the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom forces already gathered."
Sokka leaned closer next to Zuko with his hand over his mouth as he whispered, "What did you two talk about back in the cottage? This guy wasn't nearly so helpful last time."
Ignoring the Water Tribe boy, Zuko stepped forward as he stood over the former Fire Nation Admiral. He wasn't entirely sure what to say.
He must have been standing there for a minute, lost in thought, because he nearly jumped when Katara spoke up across from him and stated, "You're shaking."
The Fire Prince glanced down as he felt his right hand shaking, involuntarily. Raising his arm in surprise, Zuko's attempts to halt the reflexive muscle spasms were ineffective until he gripped his right arm with his left hand.
Jeong Jeong looked up as he observed the actions of his Fire Prince. "That's good."
Zuko was about to ask what Jeong Jeong meant when Sokka blurted out for him, "How's that a good thing? Zuko's clearly in over his head."
"It's good," repeated Jeong Jeong as he added, "Because it means he's not a fool. He values life. Both his own and of those around him. Only a fool wouldn't be shaken by the gravity of the choices being decided here."
Although he wasn't too sure about Jeong Jeong's assessment of him, Zuko did know that he needed to stop hesitating. His shaking right hand balled up into a fist as Zuko steeled his resolve. It was time for him to start behaving like an actual prince.
Standing before the former Fire Nation Admiral once again, Zuko declared, "Rise, Admiral Jeong Jeong. I grant you leave to gather those willing to fight and bolster the ranks of our liberation force."
With a grin, Jeong Jeong stood tall as he nodded in affirmation of the command.
"Great, awesome, well done," waved off Sokka as the Water Tribe boy asked the practical question that had been left hanging. "And just exactly how is Jeong Jeong going to know where to find Dad? And not only that, say he does find Dad. How exactly is Dad going to know that that a bunch of random Fire Nation forces approaching them are supposed to be friendly?"
"Simple," replied Zuko as he turned to face Sokka. "You're going to tell Admiral Jeong Jeong where to find the Water Tribe forces." Before Sokka could deny knowing where Hakoda's forces were, Zuko cut him off with, "I know you have several possible rendezvous points prepared. You've been planning the route into the Fire Nation with your Father for awhile now, haven't you?"
Sokka raised his index finger high as he opened his mouth to deny that, but a stern look from his Sister caused him to stop before he even got started. "Lucky guess," the Water Tribe boy grumbled instead. Then, crossing his arms, Sokka countered, "Fine, but let's say I feel like letting you all know where to find Dad. It's not going to matter. Dad's just going to think Jeong Jeong's forces are there to attack them."
Digging into her bag, Katara pulled out a pen and paper and quickly summarized everything in a brief note. Curious as to what his Sister was writing, Sokka peeked over her shoulder. As Katara finished and started to roll up the letter, Sokka noted in a sing-song voice, "It's still not going to work."
As much as Katara wanted to say Sokka was wrong, she knew he was probably right. Her Dad would still be reluctant to listen to a Fire Nation Admiral even if he had a handwritten note with Katara's signature. Thinking for a minute, another idea came to the waterbender.
Carefully unclasping the ribbon around her neck, Katara handled Jeong Jeong her Mother's betrothal necklace along with the written letter. "He won't attack if you raise a white flag and give him this when you talk to him."
"Katara!" exclaimed Sokka. "You can't give up Mom's necklace so easily!"
"You don't have to do this," added Zuko. "That necklace is too important to you."
"I know, but unless one of us is going to go with Jeong Jeong and not with Zuko to rescue his Uncle, then this is the best way to get Dad to trust anything that Jeong Jeong says," explained Katara. Turning to the Fire Admiral, she instructed, "Let my Dad know what we are up to and that we will meet with everyone before the Day of Black Sun."
Jeong Jeong accepted the Water Tribe heirloom with great care as he bowed. "I will treat this necklace with the upmost respect."
"Argh, fine, whatever. I don't care anymore. Just give me a map," relented Sokka. He dotted a couple of places on a map that Lin Yee unrolled for him. "Dad should be traveling along this route, gathering forces as he goes. I've marked the scheduled meet-up spots." He crossed his arms as he glared at both Zuko and Jeong Jeong. "I want to make this crystal clear. I'm really going out on a limb here. I'm trusting my Sister on this one. Do not betray her trust."
"Thank you Sokka," replied Zuko as Sokka's glare persisted.
A large shadow flew overhead as several of the local tribesmen looked up in surprise. "Something comes!" warned Lin Yee as he and his men readied their spears.
Edel came crushing down through the tree canopies as with a loud squawk as the thunderbird waved its wings wide before gusting forward several times to knock multiple tribesmen to the ground. Zuko rushed in front of the thunderbird quickly. "Edel! It's okay! We're okay! These people are not enemies!"
The large bird ceased her flailing as Edel calmed down and nuzzled her head against Zuko. "I apologize," commented the Fire Prince. "I should have let you know that we were walking somewhere from the village instead of meeting up with you."
An odd sound of incredulous laughter erupted from the old firebending master as he stared at Zuko and Edel. "I don't believe it. Apparently there is no shortage of surprises today. Do you really command a thunderbird?" Then, Jeong Jeong noticed the saddle. "Wait, you ride a thunderbird?!"
"Umm... yes?" answered Zuko awkwardly.
Jeong Jeong shook his head in disbelief. "You don't seem to know your history. No one's ridden a thunderbird since Fire Lord Raizo tamed one nearly five hundred years ago. He reunified a Fire Nation that had been tearing itself apart by civil war. To think a thunderbird would appear now and you would be its rider no less." The old firebending master seemed to be talking to himself now. "There are too many similarities to be a mere coincidence. Is this a sign that even the Spirit World is working to restore balance?"
As Sokka, Katara, and Jin climbed aboard Edel, Zuko turned back to newly reinstated Fire Admiral. "Once we rescue my Uncle, we will return to put an end to this war."
Gaining his wits once more, Jeong Jeong bowed one last time. "And we will be ready, my Prince." With a mighty squawk of impatience, Edel launched herself up into the air as Jeong Jeong watched the group of teenagers fly off towards the Fire Nation.
"I don't think I like it here," commented Ty Lee as she walked into a seedy looking tavern in an unsavory portion of the Imperial Fire City.
"Then, it's a good thing you're not here to think," replied Azula curtly. "I have business with the tavern keeper. You and Mai are simply here as my escorts."
Ignoring to stares she was receiving from the patrons within the questionable establishment, the Fire Princess approached the bar. Even though there were open spots all along the counter, Azula proceeded towards two burly looking brutes seated in the center near the tavern keeper behind the bar. "You're in my way," she declared firmly.
"Buzz off, brat," replied one of the thugs on the bar stools, barely looking back over his shoulder to take notice of the young girl behind him.
Blue fire ignited within both of Azula's fists.
Knowing that things were about to end poorly for the two fools at the bar counter and that Azula would berate her if she tried to help, Ty Lee instead glanced over at Mai. The normally taciturn girl had been even more withdrawn since the three of them left Ba Sing Se to return to the Imperial Palace in the Fire Nation. "Mai? Are you sure there isn't anything you want to talk about? You've barely spoke more than a few words to anyone in the last few weeks. I'm worried about you."
The weapon mistress looked back at her concerned friend with a disinterested expression. "There is nothing to say."
"Not even about how much you are worried about Azula hunting her Brother? You were more fired up about that than I have ever seen you about anything. But after your talk with Azula in Ba Sing Se, it's like all that passion disappeared. What did she say to you?" asked Ty Lee.
"Azula is my friend. I wish to help my friend," answered Mai almost mechanically.
"She's my friend too, but I'm worried about you right now Mai. It's like you're even more reserved than normal," stressed Ty Lee. "I'm sure Zuko is alright. Azula may have hit him with lightning, but we've all seen how tough Zuko is. If anyone can survive, it's him," elaborated Ty Lee.
Mai continued to look dispassionate. "Zuko is a traitor to the Fire Nation and must be punished."
Ty Lee felt uneasy as she stood alongside her friend, trying to communicate with her. She had never heard Mai speak so coldly about Zuko before. He had always been the one person Mai never said anything negative about.
However, the conversation between the acrobat and the weapon mistress concluded as both thugs were sent flying through the front window of the rundown tavern, landing in a charred heap outside. That minor inconvenience dealt with, Azula took a seat at one of the bar stools formerly held by the smoldering messes now laying outside.
Knocking on the bar counter to get the attention of the tavern keeper who was staring at the damage to his establishment with an exasperated expression as he dried a newly cleaned glass in his hands, Azula stated, "I trust that won't be a problem?"
His attention returning to the young firebending girl in front of him, the tavern keeper shook his head as he set the clean glass down on the counter. "I would prefer it if my place of business was still standing after all this," he muttered. Then, in a more professional tone, the tavern keeper asked, "But no matter, how may I serve our esteemed Fire Princess?"
This was more like it. Azula pulled out a paper card from within the pockets of her tunic. "I need to hire a Fireman." Sliding the card across the bar counter, Azula tapped on the image of a symbol of a third eye on it. "Him."
