"Do whatever make you feel good
Hesitate make it feel good for the meantime
Drag it out for the longest
Waiting on you for the longest"
___________
A pale blue sky, paints the sky it was truly beautiful. The trees are blanketed in leaves of fiery reds and oranges; there is just a hint of green left on one or two. The air is alive with the CHIRPS and WHIRRS of insects. It reminds me so much of home.
We currently we're Putting our stuff on Apps for our next trip
" Ah-ah...no flying this time." Sokka tells us halting our process
"What?" Katara asks
"Why wouldn't we fly?"I ask him
"Think about it. Somehow Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa—he's just too noticeable." sokka informs us
"What! Appa's not too noticeable!"
"He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head—it's kinda hard to miss him!" Sokka yells
" I know you all want to fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk."
We all groan.
"Who knows—walking might be fun."Aang says as he grabs a bag and puts it around him
Who know this might be fun
❅
"Walking stinks! How do people go anywhere without a flying bison?" Aang groans
"I don't know Aang. Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts—they seem to know everything." Katara says
"Ha ha. Very funny."
"That's a great idea! Hey, Sokka's Instincts, would you mind—" Aang yells out *those two goofballs*
I'm more focused on the scenery. It was beautiful
"It's not so bad looks at the scenery don't ya think?" I tell the group trying to cheer them up
"Eh..try asking Sokka's Instincts" Katara tells me. Okay now that was funny
"Okay, okay—I get it. Look guys, I'm tired too. But the important thing is that-- --we're safe from...the— --Fire...Nation..." Sokka stops midway as he looks on
We join Sokka and walk into a clearing with a Fire Nation encampment in it. On the opposite end of the clearing are three Pavilion tents, and an active fire pit with logs as benches on two sides. The camp is occupied.
" uh oh" I whisper
"RUN!" Aang yells
The soldiers leap up from the logs, swords out. As they charge at us. In a blur Aang brings out his glider and gets in front of me protecting me
"Sokka, your shirt!" We yell Sokka looks, and yells in panic.
I quickly bend the fire
We were surrounded the soldiers all around.
"If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you." Sokka tells the soldiers
"You? Promise not to hurt us?" the captain Ask again not believing us. Oh he'd be surprised
There is a quiet ZIP and THUD. The Captain looks surprised for a moment, then groans and collapses face first on the ground.
"Look!" Katara says She points to somewhere above .The person drops something and draws two blades from the middle of his back. He steps off the back of the branch, his weapons held high. Instead of falling straight down, the weapons seem to catch on the branch, allowing him to sling himself in the direction of the camp. The stranger kicks over two of the soldiers he lands with a foot on each of their backs.
He rushes forward, his shuang gou (twin hook sword) in each hand. He hooks a leg each on another pair of soldiers and sends them head over heels. With a polished body flip, he launches them through the air. They end up in a heap on top of their prone captain.
He lands on his feet, ready for more.
A soldier rushes up from behind the mysterious man, sword raised. The young man hooks his opponent's sword hand as he spins.
We get the memo and help the mysterious man and his other friends. I blast fire at a soldier getting closer to me.I press my backup to Aang as I look around for another soilder
"You okay?" Aang asks me. I nod in response He's so sweet. I smile at hims as we make our way towards the mysterious hero
"My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters. Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak." We smile and thank them for rescuing us.
❅
We were still at the Fire Nation camp.The members of Jet's freedom fighters are near it, checking weapons or investigating supply crates .
Jet is reclining against the trunk of a tree on the perimeter of the camp.
While me and started playing around
"We'll take the stuff back to the hideout." Aang and I heard Pipsqueak say to jet
"You guys have a hideout?"Aang ask
"You wanna see it?" Jet says
Katar hands are clasped together; she's practically begging.
"Yes we wanna see it!" Katara says eagerly
We all walked along the forest floor. Making our way to the clubhouse.I am a little special of Jet.I was really tense while walking.My thoughts were uprooted when Jet started talking
"We're here."
"Where...there's nothing here!" Sokka states the obvious
"Hold this." Jet hands Sokka a rope with a loop on the end. The other end is somewhere above them.
" Why...what's this do?" Sokka ask. The loop ends up around Sokka's wrist. Without warning, he is pulled up by his arm into a nearby tree canopy. As a final insult, Sokka gets momentarily stuck in the leafy branches before he disappears.
Jet offers a similar rope to Aang and I.
"Aang?Katzumi?" He asks us
"we'll get up on my own."Aang smiles at me. What
"We are?" I ask him
Aang smiles at me again and grabs my hand gently and hopped on one of the tree branches going up one by one.
"Whoa" I gasp and look down we were up really high
"Do you do this all the time" I ask him
"I try" Aang smiles at me as we finally get to the 'secret base'
"Hey look" Aang says as he points to a zip line.
"Lets try it" I say eagerly .He gets on eagerly he reaches his hand out again and without hesitation I take it. He brings me closer so I won't fall. Sure the zip line was fun but not as fun as being close to Aang.
❅
I was looking out, to the blue sky above the canopy.
In the hideout below, Ropes with Glowing lanterns hang between branches. Sentries keep watch on several upper platforms while the group sits at a banquet table on a huge platform.
While we were eating and drinking. Jet stands and climbs onto the table.
"Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine." Jet says His followers at the table and on upper platforms cheer.
"I got a special joy from the look on one soldier's face, when the Duke dropped down on his helmet and rode him like a wild hog monkey." The helmet-less Duke is sitting on the platform between Longshot and Smellerbee. He stands, joins Jet on the table and amid cheers takes a victory walk around a fish platter.
"Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right."Jet says His followers BOO at that.
"Or maybe...they are dead wrong." His followers CHEER wildly. He leaves the table and sits on the platform
"Hey Jet, nice speech." Katara says
"Thanks. By the way, I was really impressed with you guys. That was some great bending I saw out there today."Jet says to us.
"Well, they're great. He's the Avatar, And she's a princess. I could use some more training." Kataras says as she blushes
"So I might know a way that you and Aang can help in our struggle." Jet tells us. Struggle?
"Unfortunately we have to leave tonight." Sokka says as he stands and walks away.
"Sokka, you're kidding me! I needed you on an important mission tomorrow." Jet calls him back. A mission. What?? Sokka stops, and turns.
"What kind of mission?" he asks
❅
At the hideout, Aang and Momo are playing with the ziplines again. He leaps to a platform.I was sitting on the platforms as I look around
"Katzumi! Look what the Duke gave me!"I look over at Aang who wearing a satchel and pulls a small pellet from it. With a sly grin, he tosses it at the platform next to Momo, where it explodes with a pop. Momo puffs up like a startled cat. He GROWLS, then lunges for the satchel. Momo then sits on Aang's shoulder and tosses pellets at his feet. Aang dances about wildly.
"Ow! Quit it!" Aang says as I laugh. That goofball
Sokka is oblivious of it all. He's sitting with his back to the trunk and staring at the platform before him, frowning. Katara walks up.
"Hey Sokka. Is Jet back?" Katara ask. Why does she want to know?
"Yeah—he's back. But we're leaving." Sokka explains.
"What?" Aang asks
"But I made him this hat." Katara pulls from behind her back a cap made out of stitched leaves with a flower on top. The workmanship is unimpressive in my opinion.
"Your boyfriend Jet's a thug." Sokka tells her harshly.
"What? No, he's not."Katara insists
"He's messed up Katara."Sokka pushes back.These two are just gonna go at it aren't they
"He's not messed up, he's just got a different way of life—a really fun way of life." Aang says enthusiastically
"He beat and robbed a harmless old man!"Sokka says. I gasped, I knew something was up
"I wanna hear Jet's side of the story." Katara demands and she folders her hands
We make our ways to jets hut and we ask him what went down.
"Sokka—you told them what happened but you didn't mention that the guy was Fire Nation?" Jet asked him. Fire nation? So what?
"No, he conveniently left that part out."Katara tells him. What does that have to do with anything
"Fine! But even if he was Fire Nation, he was a harmless civilian" Sokka defends himself
"He was an assassin, Sokka." Jet pulls out a knife and thrusts it into a nearby block of wood. It's a sinister looking curved blade. There are four spikes evenly spaced along the grip, with enough space for fingers to go between them. There is a ring on the butt of the knife.
"See? There's a compartment for poison in the knife."He pulls on the ring and removes a small glass tube filled with red liquid ." He was sent to eliminate me—you helped save my life, Sokka." Jet explains.
"I knew there was an explanation" Katara says happily
"There was no knife! I'm going back to the hut and packing my things." Sokka leaves the hut
"Tell me you guys aren't leaving yet. I really need your help."Jet pleads to us. I don't know
"What can we do?"Katara ask eagerly
"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. But if you leave now, they'll destroy the whole valley."Jet explains to us.
We walk out of his hut and see Sokka packing his stuff.
"We can't leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down a forest!" Katara yells at him.
"I'm sorry Katara. Jet's very smooth, but we can't trust him." Sokka insists.
"Well my instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on guys." She tells me and Aang. What do I say?
"Sorry Sokka."Aang says. I look over at him. I slowly follow him saying nothing to Sokka
❅
I couldn't sleep i kept a flam in my hand due to the cold. But something was off about this place
"Let's go." I heard jet say outside
I pull the door flap aside enough to see some of Jet's followers descending on the rope lines. He leaves the hut, and takes a rope line down to a lower branch. On the ground below him, Jet's freedom fighters are quietly pushing the loaded wagon as Jet leads them out of the camp.
In the dark valley, the walled town sits on the far side of a river that cuts through the forest.
"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.And now that Sokka's gone no one will stop us"Jet say to his freedom fighter.Oh no Sokka was right
"But what about the people in the town—won't they get wiped out too?" The Duke asks him
"Look Duke, that's the price of ridding this area of the Fire Nation. Now don't blow the dam until I give the signal—got it?" He says to Longshot
Longshot nods. He then looks up at me through the trees. Uh oh. I try to play it off at first.
"Hey guys" I wave but as soon as I say that Longshot shoots and arrow at me but misses by and inch
RUN.I try to hop through the trees. Being careful of not slipping. Unfortunately it doesn't work and I slip through the trees and fall hard on the ground.That's gonna leave a scar. I try to get up but everything hurts right now. I feel hands grip my hair and pull me up to face the freedom fighters
"Katzumi. I'm glad you decided to join us." Jet says
"I heard your plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom town. Sokka was right about you" I yell
"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation." He's not so convincing
"There are people living there Jet—mothers and fathers and children." I say maybe I could change his mind
"We can't win without making some sacrifices." Jet replies.
"They're innocent people Jet" I plead But this does nothing. He just smirks. That monster
"You lied to Aang and Katara about the forest fire!" I yells again
"Because they don't understand the demands of war. You're just a princess"Jet says again.Ouch
Pipsqueak and Smellerbee grab for me forcefully.
"I can't let you warn Katara and Aang. Take her for a walk--a long walk." Jet says to them. What does that mean?
Pipsqueak and Smellerbee push me and we start walking. When Jet said a long walk he was not kidding. And soon enough the sun starts coming up. Great what do I do.We walk up on a small hill and there I see Sokka.
"Hey Sokka" I smile sluggishly. What are we going to do
"Oh no they got you too"Sokka ask
"Yup" I say flatly
"Come on—move along!" Smellerbee says to us
"How can you stand by and do nothing while Jet wipes out a whole town?"Sokka asks
"Hey listen Sokka, Jet's a great leader. We follow what he says, and things always turn out okay."They tells us.I just roll my eyes. Were they brainwashed or what?
I notice a couple of snare leaf-piles nearby. I look at Sokka who looks and me.We both give a signal
"If that's how Jet leads, then he's got a lot to learn." Sokka says
We sprint off in the direction of the snares. Smellerbee makes a grab for me, but misses.
They both chase us. Sokka leaps over the leaf piles. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee don't, and end up snared and hanging many feet up in the air.
"While you two are up there you might want to practice your knot-work."Sokka smirks
"Good one Sokka" I say and we make our way back to the hideout.
"Katzumi wait...I'm going to go to the village to warn the people you go get Aang and Katara"Sokka tells me
"Good Idea" I say and run as fast as I can towards The river
"Sokka didn't make it in time." I heard Aang say as the bridge explodes
"All those people... Jet—you monster!" Katara says
"This was a victory, Katara. Remember that. The Fire Nation is gone and this valley will be safe." I hear Jet say. That idiot he lost
"It will be safe—without you." I say As I stopped in front of them
"Katzumi!" Aang says as he runs up a hugs me
We look up to see Sokka, Appa and Momo rise from below the level of the cliff. Sokka has Appa's reins.
"Sokka!"Katara says as well
"I warned the villagers of your plan, just in time." Sokka says
"What!"Jet says baffled
"At first they didn't believe me. The Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy. But one man vouched for me—the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust me, and we got everyone out in time." Sokka explains to us
"Sokka, you fool! We could've freed this valley!" Jet says. Will he shut up
"Who would be free—everyone would be dead."Sokka says to him
"You traitor!" Jet yells at us
"No, Jet. You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people."Sokka says
"Katara. Please—help me."He pleases
"Goodbye Jet."Katara says as we mount Appa.
Sokka gives Appa's reigns a flick.
"Yip yip."
Jet is left behind on the ground, still frozen to the tree.The sky they fly in is empty, save a few wispy clouds.
"We thought you were going to the dam. How come you went to the town instead?" Aang asks him
"Lemme guess—your instincts told you." Katara ask
"Hey—sometimes they're right." Sokka admits.ya okay....
"Um...Sokka? You know we're going the wrong way, right?" I tell him
Sokka is surprised, but quickly recovers.
"...And sometimes they're wrong."Sokka admits again.We laugh as we fly off into the sunset.