Dedicated to  Darkninja7 for voting

'A familiar light-hearted chuckle filled the air and frustrated orange eyes snapped open to look at the elderly monk sitting cross-legged on the ground, his eyes closed.

"You must relax your mind, young one, if you wish to master the art of meditation." Monk Gyatso stated wisely with a small, serene smile on his aged face.

A young Xiaodan huffed and crossed her arms in irritation, "This is stupid! What's even the point ofmediating? How is it going to help me keep Aang safe? You should be teaching me how to fightinstead."

Monk Gyatso opened his eyes and smiled at the young girl sitting in front of him a scowl on her childishly round face.

"One must learn to master to become the master of their mind if they wish to master their bodies, child."

Xiaodan scrunched up her nose and looked at the only father-figure she had ever known in confusion.

"That doesn't even make any sense, Gyatso!" She whined then sighed when the monk gave her a chiding look.

The young white-haired girl took a deep breath through her mouth and shut her eyes, relaxing her body and emptied her mind as she exhaled from her nose...'

Xiaodan inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly as she let the memory slip away and continued to meditate in the dark, metal room she had been locked in by the banished prince's guards.

She was unsure just how many days had passed since she had been knocked on conscious and captured, but she figured it had to be no more than four days since a guard had delivered a tray of food and a jug of water every twelve or so hours, one in the morning and the other at night. Eight meager meals had been brought in the time she had been in the metal prison cell and each tray was taken away untouched, Xiaodan refusing to eat the food in a show of defiance.

She had regained consciousness just as the guards had dragged on her onto the Fire Nation prince's warship and the crew began to castoff. Xiaodan began to struggle against her captors immediately, getting in a few good hits and even knocking one of the Firebenders over the side of the ship before someone had knocked her out again. The next time she awoke, she had been lying in the metal room she was currently meditating in with her back to the door, having remained in that position since she had awakened the second time. Surprisingly, the prince had not shown his scarred face during that time.

The sound of metal grinding against metal filled the room as the thick metal door was opened, but Xiaodan didn't turn around or even bother to open her eyes until she was suddenly wrenched to her feet and dragged from the room.

"Sir," The Firebender reported as he stood behind the young prince, "The prisoner is still refusing to eat."

Zuko frowned and gripped the railing in front of him tightly, his knuckles turning white as he glared out at the ocean and thought about to what to do with the white-haired girl he had captured.

"Perhaps she does not eat meat." Iroh mused as he stroked his beard thoughtfully from beside his nephew, "I once read something about the Air Nomads being vegetarians."

Zuko ignored his uncle and turned towards the soldier waiting for orders.

"Bring the prisoner to the deck," The banished prince commanded firmly, "It's time she answered some questions."

"I hope you know what you are doing, Prince Zuko." Iroh murmured to himself as he watched his nephew stalk into the commander tower apprehensively.

Xiaodan grunted quietly when the two masked Firebenders forced her to knees after dragging her from her prison cell in the belly of the ship and onto the top deck, her hands and ankles chained together. Orange eyes narrowed as the red pointed tips of the banished prince's boots appeared and Xiaodan slowly raised her head, molten orange eyes meeting harsh gold ones.

Xiaodan pursed her lips and mental promised to remain silent as she glowered at her captor.

"Where is the Avatar heading?" Zuko demanded as he glared down at the girl, his sharp eyes noticing the dark rings under her own.

The girl merely stared at him with a blank expression, her mouth pressed into a stubborn line then she glanced away in obvious disinterest. A scowl appeared on Zuko's face and with an irritated growl he grabbed her chin and jerked her head back around to face him.

"Tell me where the Avatar is headed, girl!" He hissed as he leaned closer to her face and pushed her head away, straightening and taking a Firebending stance, "Tell me where the Avatar is and I won't hurt you."

Xiaodan looked up at him, unafraid as fire began dancing around the fist pointed at her face as she remained silent and unwavering. Zuko growled wordlessly and pulled his fist back, preparing to launch a fire blast at the defiant girl.

"That's enough, Prince Zuko!" Iroh barked angrily as he grabbed his nephew's wrist, the first around it dissipating, "I will not let you travel down this path."

Iroh pushed the young prince back slightly then turned towards the bound girl kneeling on the deck. Her eyes were closed, her weakened body slumped forward slightly in apparent relief and weariness and Iroh sighed gently as he lifted her to her feet by her underarms.

"What are you doing, Uncle?!" Zuko demanded harshly as he watched his Uncle almost carry the girl toward the command tower, "She is still a prisoner!"

"No," Iroh denied as he helped the girl limp forward, "She is just a girl that needs food and rest."

Smoke steamed from Zuko's nose as his anger increased, watching his uncle and the white-haired girl disappear into the command center.

Aang sighed quietly as he stroked held Xiaodan's staff in his hands. It had been four days since the incident with the pirates and Prince Zuko and he missed his big sister terribly. Aang shook his head and put the staff back in Appa's saddle then hopped down to stand in front of Sokka and Katara.

"Where's Momo?" He asked curiously, looking down at the bored siblings.

Momo's sudden screech filled the forest they had camped in and Aang, Sokka, and Katara looked in the direction of the screech then jumped up and raced in that direction.

"Hang on, Momo!" Aang shouted when he saw his lemur trapped in a cage hanging high above their heads as he Airbended himself up to the top of the tree, jumping from trunk-to-trunk until he reached the branch where the cage mechanisms were.

Hanging upside down by his leg, Aang quickly flicked the switch on the mechanism then grabbed the rope and began lowering the cage to the ground where Sokka and Katara pulled it open, letting Momo jump free.

"Ugh!" Sokka grunted and smacked his forehead in frustration when Momo sat a few feet away and munched on one of the berries that had served as bait for the trap.

Aang smiled slightly as he landed behind the lemur then looked up at the two other trapped animals whimpering and crying out for help.

"Alright, you too." Aang stated as he jumped up into the air towards them using his Airbending.

"This is gonna take forever." Sokka complained, grabbing his boomerang from his back and throwing it up into the trees, cutting the traps' ropes just as Aang was inching his way upside-down to the traps on the tree branch.

"That worked." Aang muttered as he jumped back down to the ground just as the hog-monkeys raced into the trees.

Sokka kneeled beside the two traps, examining them while Katara and Aang stood beside him.

"These are Fire Nation traps." He stated as he looked up at the two young teens, "You can tell from the metalwork. We better pack up camp, and get moving."

"Uh uh!" Sokka said quickly as he ran up to Katara and Aang who were packing their supplies into Appa's saddle, "No flying this time."

"What? Why couldn't we fly?" Aang asked the older boy, him and Katara giving him a confused look.

Sokka snatched the sleeping back from the bald boy's hands and placed it on the ground as he explained, "Think about it. Somehow Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa, he's just too noticeable."

"What?" Katara questioned skeptically with her hands on her hips, neither sibling noticed the way Aang winced at the banished prince's name, "Appa's not too noticeable!"

"He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head!" Sokka stated as he condescendingly pointed at the sky bison, "It's kinda hard to miss him!"

Appa yawned widely and Aang patted his head from his spot sitting on the bison's head with a somewhat forced jovial expression on his face.

"Sokka's just jealous 'cause he doesn't have an arrow on his head."

"I know you all wanna fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk." Sokka explained his reasons to Katara and Aang.

"Who made you the boss?" Katara demanded in amusement as she walked closer and smiled.

"I'm not the boss, I'm the leader." Sokka retorted, pointing at his chest with his thumb.

Katara scoffed in amusement, "You're the leader? But you're voice still cracks!"

"I'm the oldest and I'm a warrior," Sokka stated, his voice cracking before he deepened it, "So, I'm the leader!"

Katara giggled slightly then smiled up at Aang, "If anyone's the leader, it's Aang. I mean he is the Avatar."

"Are you kidding?" Sokka squawked, "He's just a goofy kid!"

The two siblings looked over at Aang who was hanging upside by his arms from Appa's right horn, his feet sticking in the air.

"He's right." Aang agreed with the older boy, "Xia would be a better leader than me."

The three winced slightly and their facial expressions became glum as they thought about their missing friend. Katara shook her head and crossed her arms, giving Sokka an irritated look as he shoulders his makeshift pack of supplies.

"Why do boys always think someone has to be a leader?" She asked drily before smirking at her brother, "I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl."

"I've kissed a girl, you just haven't met her!" Sokka snapped defensively, shifting his gaze around nervously.

"Who?" Katara continued to taunt, "Gran-Gran? I've met Gran-Gran."

"No, besides Gran-Gran." Sokka retorted, throwing his arms in the air before lowering them back to his sides, "Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot, and a leader has to trust his instincts."

Katara rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Okay, we'll try it your way, oh wise leader."

"Who knows?" Aang said the make-shift pack on his back as he stepped up beside Katara with a slight grin, "Walking might be fun."

"Walking stinks!" Aang complained after blowing a raspberry after he and his friends had been walking for a few hours, "How did people go anywhere without a flying bison?"

"Well, I don't know, Aang." Katara drawled sarcastically from the boy, "Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts? They seem to know everything."

"Ha, ha, very funny..." Sokka muttered drily from ahead of them."

Aang huffed, "I'm tired of carrying this pack."

"You know who you should ask to carry it for a while?" Katara quipped, "Sokka's instincts."

"That's a great idea." Aang exclaimed with a grin as he looked at the back of Sokka's head, "Hey, Sokka's instincts, would you mind-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Sokka snapped then glanced over his shoulder as he continued walking, "Look guys, I'm tired too. But the important thing is that we're safe from Fire...Nation"

Sokka trailed off as he walked through the bushes in front of him and saw a Fire Nation campsite with a lot of soldiers. The soldiers paused what they were doing when they saw the three teens before they got to their feet.

"Run!" Sokka shouted as he, Katara, and Aang spun around to run away but a Firebender set the bushes in front of them on fire, cutting off their escape.

"We're cut off!" Sokka shouted as he looked at the advancing soldiers.

"Sokka, your shirt!" Aang shouted, pointing to where Sokka's shirt was on fire.

"AH!" The Water Tribe boy yelled and Katara quickly Waterbending the water in her canteen on to his shirt, putting out the fire then sent the fire back into the canteen.

The three teens took their stances with their backs to each other as they faced the Fire Nation soldiers surrounding them in a half-circle with the flaming bush behind them.

"If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you." Sokka stated to the soldiers, standing protectively in front of Aang and Katara.

"What are you doing?" Katara hissed at him worriedly.

"Bluffing?" Sokka whispered back, glancing over his shoulder at his sister.

"You promise not to hurt us?" A soldier with an eye patch scoffed in amusement only to grunt a moment later and fall to the ground, flat on his face.

"Nice work, Sokka!" Aang cheered, grinning at the older boy, "How'd you do that?"

"Uh, instinct?" Sokka replied, just as confused.

"Look!" Katara shouted, pointing up at a tree, where a boy about Sokka's age was standing on a tree branch, pulling two hooked swords from behind his back.

The three watched as the young man jumped backwards off the tree branch, using the hooked part of swords to grab the branch and swing towards the Fire Nation soldiers. The young man landed on two soldiers then ran forward, grabbing two other soldiers' ankles with the hooks on his swords, yanking the swords and flipping the soldiers as he flipped forward himself. The two soldiers fell on top of the first unconscious soldier and the young man landed in a crouch, pointing on of his swords at the rest of the soldiers.

"Down you go." He quipped with a smirk, a long blade of grass hanging from the corner of his mouth.

Sokka looked at the boy in confusion and Aang looked shocked while Katara stared at the boy in utter amazement, hearts practically in her eyes. The watched as another soldier charged at the boy from behind but the boy spun around, catching the soldier's arm with one of the hooked swords and swung him away. The other soldiers looked at the fallen man in shock then looked up.

"There in the trees!" One shouted and a young boy in a helmet landed on his shoulders.

The young boy spun the soldier's helmet around, blinding him, then began to laugh loudly as he rode the soldier around the camp. The three noticed another boy shooting arrows at the soldiers from a tree branch while more boys began to drop to the ground and engage the soldiers.

Standing back-to-back, Katara and Aang use their bending to fight the soldiers that had surrounded them, Katara sending a wave of water at them while Aang used a gust of air to knock the men off their feet.

A little bit a ways behind the two benders, Sokka gave a battle cry and held up his boomerang in preparation as a Fire Nation soldier charged towards him with his sword.

Sokka's battle cry died out as the boy with the hooked swords appeared, placing his swords on the ground and kicking the soldier into a tree.

"Hey, he was mine!" Sokka snapped angrily at the boy, but the other boy just smirked.

"Gotta be quicker next time." The boy quipped and rushed back into the fight, leaving a dismayed Sokka staring after him.

A huge boy dropped down from the tree behind two soldiers that looked up at him in shock for a moment before their eyes narrowed and they pointed their swords at the large boy. The large boy smirked, pulling a log from his back and smashing the swords. The two soldiers backed away with small gasps of surprise then dropped the broken weapons and ran away.

The boy with the hooked swords smirked as he watched the two soldiers run away before his attention was grabbed by another soldier about to run him through with his spear. The boy spun around, catching the tip of the spear between the two hooks at the end of his swords. The two struggled for a moment then the boy swung around and knocked the spear out of the soldier's hands, sending it into the back of another soldier's head, knocking him out.

"Aw, man!" Sokka complained as the solider in front of him fell to the ground.

The boy disarmed another spear-wielding soldier, knocking him forward then using his head as a make-shift springboard. He ran forward, skidding to a stop in front of Katara.

"Hey." He greeted as he smirked down at her.

"Hi." Katara replied almost breathlessly as she looked up at the cute boy.

The boy smiled slightly and turned to look at the camp just as the last soldier ran away, leaving just the boys in the camp, watching the soldier run away.

"You just took out a whole army almost single-handed!" Aang exclaimed as he and Sokka came up behind the boy and Katara, looking at the camp in amazement.

"Army?" Sokka scoffed disdainfully as the boy walked further into the camp, "There were only like, twenty guys..."

"My name is Jet." The boy introduced himself as he turned back to face the three then nodded his head towards the other boys in the camp, "And these are my Freedom Fighters, Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak."

Jet pointed to a boy eating from a bowl first, then the boy in a straw hat holding a bow and a quiver of arrows, then the boy holding a knife if his mouth and two of the Fire Nation swords in his hands, then the little boy in the helmet, and lastly the largest boy in the group who was still holding the log in his hand.

Aang laughed and looked at the youngest boy in the group, The Duke as he walked towards him and the largest boy, "Pipsqueak, that's a funny name."

The Duke pointed to the actual Pipsqueak who loomed threateningly over Aang's much smaller form.

"You think my name's funny?" He demanded in a deep voice.

"It's hilarious!" Aang exclaimed, completely unafraid.

Pipsqueak looked down at Aang for a moment before laughing hysterically, Aang and the Duke joining him a moment later. Pipsqueak smacked him on the back, accidently knocking the bald boy onto his face, causing the Duke to stop laughing for a moment before Aang lifted his head and continued to laugh.

"Umm, thanks for saving us, Jet." Katara said as she approached the slightly older boy while the other Freedom Fighters raided the camp, "We're lucky you were there."

Jet turned to look at Katara with a smile as he leaned against the tree, "I should be thanking you. We were waiting to ambush those soldiers all morning, we just needed the right distraction, and then you guys stumbled in."

"We were relying on instincts." Katara commented drily, eyeing her brother from across the camp.

"You'll get yourself killed doing that." Jet stated with a smirk.

Sokka scowled at them and walked to where they had dropped their packs when they first had stumbled into the Fire Nation camp.

The Duke dipped his finger into one of the barrels then sniffed the yellow gunk on his finger.

"Hey, Jet!" The youngest Freedom Fighter called out to his leader, "These barrels are filled with blasting jelly."

"That's a great score." Jet called back, smiling slightly when Pipsqueak turned to face him, holding up a wooden box.

"And these boxes are filled with jelly candy!"

"Also good," Jet said in approval, then quirked his lips in amusement, "Let's not get those mixed up."

"We'll take this stuff back to the hideout." The Duke stated as he and the other Freedom Fighters loaded the barrels and boxes into a cart.

"You guys have a hideout?" Aang asked, looking at Jet excitedly.

"You wanna see it?" Jet questioned with a smirk.

"Yes, we wanna see it!" Katara agreed instantly, her hands clasped under her chin as she looked up at Jet adoringly.

The older boy smiled down at her, his expression showing fondness.

The white-haired watched Iroh sitting across from her warily, letting the steaming cup of tea he had handed to her warm her hands.

"There is no need to be frightened, child." Iroh said soothing as he poured tea into his own teacup then settled the teapot back into the middle of the table.

The white-haired girl merely continued to watch him in silence as he took a careful sip of from his cup.

Iroh sighed softly when the girl still didn't speak and he placed his cup back on the table, folding his hands on his belly as he looked at her carefully.

"My name is Iroh." He introduced himself after a moment of silence, but the girl still remained mute, "May I ask what your name is?"

Iroh didn't really expect the girl to answer so when a soft, raspy voice reached his ears, he nearly spit out the mouthful of tea he'd been about drink.

"Excuse me?" He questioned with barely veiled surprise as he put his teacup back on the table and dabbed at his mouth with a handkerchief.

The white-haired girl cleared her throat, "Xiaodan. My name is Xiaodan."

Iroh smiled paternally at the teen girl, "A beautiful name for a beautiful young woman."

Xiaodan snorted a quiet laugh, her tea sloshing slightly in her cup at his words; she knew she probably looked like a wreck, her hair hadn't been washed or brushed in days, she hadn't slept for just as long nor had she eaten either. Yeah, she most definitely looked anything but beautiful at the moment, but she gave the kind old man a pleasant smile at his attempt at flattery.

Iroh gave her an amused smile and gestured towards the teacup still in her hands, "You should drink. You are probably dehydrated."

Xiaodan gave him a wary look but slowly raised the cup to her lips, breathing in the sweet smell of jasmine then took a small sip. Her eyes closed blissfully as the warm liquid slid down her throat and she took another, large sip of the tea.

"Does it taste alright?"

"Yes, thank you." Xiaodan said as she opened her eyes and then placed teacup carefully on the table, folding her hands as she looked Iroh in the eye, "Now, why are really helping me? I doubt it's out of the kindness of your heart."

Iroh blinked in surprise at the girl, his cup held halfway to his mouth which had fallen open in shock at the girl's bluntness.

"Why would it be so hard for you to believe I am merely helping you out of kindness?" He questioned, placing his cup on the table and leaning forward slightly.

Molten orange eyes stared back at him unflinchingly as she leaned forward as well, "Because you are Fire Nation and the Fire Nation does not act with kindness anymore."

"Yes, the Fire Nation has changed much since your time, I'm sure." Iroh mused thoughtfully as he rubbed his beard then he looked at her curiously, "If I may, how old are you exactly, Miss Xiaodan."

Xiaodan gave a the old man a perplexed look and shook her head, "You are a very strange old man, Master Iroh, a very strange man."

Iroh smiled faintly as behind the rim of his teacup as he took a sip, watching the wary teen with an amused look.

"We're here." Jet stated with a grin as the group stopped in the middle of the forest.

"Where?" Sokka asked drily as he looked around, "There's nothing here."

"Hold this." Jet instructed, passing a rope with a loop at the end to the Water Tribe boy.

"Why? What's this do?" Sokka asked skeptically as he grabbed the rope only to scream as he was pulled up into the branches above them.

Jet smirked slightly and offered another rope to the young Airbender, "Aang?"

"I'll get on my own." Aang said with a smile then leapt into the trees, using Airbending propel himself upward and jump from branch-to-branch.

Jet watched the bald boy fly up into the trees with a smirk on his face then he turned to Katara, holding his hand out to her after looping the rope around his arm.

"Grab hold of me, Katara."

The dark-haired girl blushed and placed her hand into the older boy's, her blush darkening slightly when he pulled her against his side and the rope lifted them up into the trees. Jet let go of the rope once they reached a wooden platform that wrapped around the tree, high above the ground.

"Nice place you got!" Aang shouted as he zip-lined past them with Momo flying after him.

"It's beautiful up here." Katara exclaimed as she stood beside Jet and looked out at the various wooden platforms, bridges, and zip lines connected to the trees.

"It's beautiful..." Jet agreed as he looked at the Freedom Fighters' hideout, "And more importantly the Fire Nation can't find us."

"They would love to find you. Wouldn't they Jet?" Smellerbee asked as she landed near the two, a smirk on her boyish face.

"It's not gonna happen, Smellerbee." Jet responded with a slight smile as they began to walk across one of the bridges.

"Why does the Fire Nation want to find you?" Katara asked the older boy, smiling slightly when she saw Aang zip-line overhead; she was glad he was enjoying himself at the moment, she knew Xiaodan's disappearance had been hard on him.

"I guess you could say I've been causing them a little trouble." Jet answered her question, pulling her attention from the bald boy and back to him as he continued, "See, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back."

"We've been ambushin' their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doing anything we can to mess with 'em." Pipsqueak piped in from behind Jet and Katara, Sokka hopping around in an attempt to get past the large boy.

"One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out of here for good and free that town." Jet stated passionately, his expression turning hard.

"That's so brave." Katara cooed, looking at him in awe just as Sokka appeared slightly behind them after getting past Pipsqueak.

"Yeah, nothing's braver than a guy in a tree house." The Water Tribe boy drawled sarcastically, crossing his arms over his shoulder.

"Don't pay attention to my brother." Katara stated, glaring at her brother.

"No problem." Jet responded easily, "He probably had a rough day."

"So, you all live here?" Katara asked, ignoring her brother as he scowled and fell back.

"That's right. Longshot over there?" Jet agreed and nodded his head towards Longshot and the Duke, "His town got burned down by the Fire Nation. And we found the Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever really had a home."

"What about you?" Katara asked curiously, stopping when the older boy stopped walking and the others walked past.

"The Fire Nation killed my parents." He said quietly, looking down at his clenched fists, "I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever."

Katara looked away as she put her hand to her neck where her mother's necklace used to be, "Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation."

"I'm sorry, Katara." Jet said gently and Katara gave him as small smile that quickly turned sad.

"Thanks." She stated then looked over to where Aang was still zip-lining through the hideout, "It's really terrible because we lost one of group a few days ago. Aang's sister, Xiaodan, we think she was captured by the Fire Nation."

Jet frowned and put his hand on her shoulder in sympathy as he followed her gaze to the young boy in the trees.

Iroh stepped into the bridge of the ship, a serene smile on his face as walked out onto the observation deck attached to the top of the command center on the ship.

"Well, did you learn anything?" Zuko demanded as he turned to face his uncle, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the rail wrapped around the observation deck.

"Hmm..." Iroh hummed as he came to a stop in front of his nephew, his hands folded in his robes' large sleeves and his serene, close-eyed smile still on his face, "I learned that our young guest's name is Xiaodan and she is the same age as you."

Zuko's eye twitched and he glared at his peaceful expression.

"That's all?!" He growled as he uncrossed his arms and his fists clenched at his sides.

"Of course not!" Iroh exclaimed, opening his eyes and looking at his nephew slightly affronted, but he didn't elaborate as he gazed out at the ocean in front of them.

The banished prince growled slightly and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Well?"

"I also learned that her favorite color is blue, she enjoys jasmine tea but prefers ginseng, and she is an admirable Pai Sho opponent."

Silence met his statement.

"WHAT?!" Zuko shouted, fire daggers shooting from his clenched fists as he began pacing in front of his calm uncle, "Did you learn anything about the Avatar's whereabouts?!"

Iroh paused and his brow furrowed slightly, "Well no... No, I did not."

"Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine!" Jet called out as he climbed onto the large table on the largest platform and held out his cup to his Freedom Fighters and their newest arrivals.

The Freedom Fighters cheered loudly, Katara and Aang smiled, while Sokka scowled at the boy standing at the head of the table.

"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 leader of the Freedom Fighters said with a laugh and gestured for the young boy to-sans his own helmet-climb up onto the table with him, while the others cheered again.

Jet waited for the cheers to die down then continued his speech, "Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple kids hiding in trees. Maybe they're right."

He lifted his cup, preparing to take a drink as his Fighters booed loudly, their facial expressions angry.

"Or maybe..." Jet started, his own expression angry as he turned to look at the other Fighters, "They are deadwrong."

The Freedom Fighters cheered loudly and Jet smirked as he got down from the table and sat down between Katara and Sokka.

"Hey Jet, nice speech." Katara praised slightly with a smile at the boy.

"Thanks," Jet replied with his own smile as he turned to look at the Katara and Aang, "By the way, I was really impressed with you and Aang. That was some great bending I saw out there today."

"Well, he's great. He's the Avatar." Katara said humbly as a blush appeared on her tanned cheeks, "I could use more training."

"Avatar, huh?" Jet almost purred, giving Katara and Aang a sidelong glance, "Very nice."

"Thanks, Jet." Aang said happily and gave the older boy an admiring look, before his expression fell slightly and his voice turned shy, "But I'm not all that great, Xia was much better at Airbending than me."

Jet gave the young boy a sympathetic look then his expression turned persuasive, "I might know a way that you and Katara can help in our struggle."

"Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight." Sokka cut in as he stood and started to walk away.

"Aw, Sokka, you're kidding me!" Jet stated, looking over his shoulder at the Water Tribe boy, "I needed you on an important mission tomorrow."

Sokka paused and turned around to face the other boy, "What mission?"

"Get up, peasant!"

Xiaodan woke with a start as the metal door Iroh had had her moved to the day before was thrown open and she was roughly yanked from the sleeping mat in the corner room then pulled to her feet. The white-haired girl yanked her arm out of the tight grip and blinked the blurriness from her eyes until they focused on the angry face of the banished prince. Molten orange eyes narrowed in irritation at the young man

"What do you want?" Xiaodan questioned as she rubbed her sore arm then yawned widely, "I was trying to sleep, you know."

Zuko merely grabbed her arm again then practically dragged her out of the metal room and towards the top deck of his warship. Xiaodan scowled at his back and tried to yank her arm from his grasp, but his hold was tight and Xiaodan knew she'd probably have bruises later.

"Let me go, you irritating son of hog-monkey!" The white-haired girl shouted angrily then yelped as she stumbled to her knees after the angry prince pushed her out of the command tower and onto the top deck.

Zuko stalked past her towards the center of the deck and Xiaodan noticed for the first time that he wasn't in his usual armor, but in a somewhat loose brown tunic with yellow trim, brown pants, and calf-high boots.

"Spirits, you are pushy, aren't you?" Xiaodan grumbled as she got to her feet and rubbed her bruising arm.

"Be quiet and come here, peasant." Zuko ordered as he moved into a Firebending stance.

"Be quiet and come here, peasant." Xiaodan parroted annoyingly and crossed her arms over chest, refusing to move from where she was standing, "What in Spirits' makes you think that I'll do anything you tell me to?"

The prince sneered and sent a blast of fire at the mouthy white-haired girl, watching as she yelped and bent completely backwards until her hands touched the deck behind her feet, the fireball passing harmlessly over her bent body.

"Are you nuts?!" Xiaodan shouted as she straightened, giving the psycho an annoyed look, "Wait, I already know the answer to that so let me rephrase. What the Spirits is your problem?!"

"Fight me, Airbender!" Zuko commanded and kicked a fire blast at the girl.

Xiaodan jumped away from the fireball, noticing that some of the crew had gathered around them in a loose circle which effectively blocked any chance of escape. The girl continued to dance around the make-shift ring she was trapped in with the angry Zuko as he continued to blast fireballs at her.

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh's voice suddenly rang out as he forced his way between two of the crew members and grabbed Zuko by the ankle just as the scarred prince was about to kick another fireball at the white-haired girl, "What is the meaning of this?!"

Xiaodan let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and she bent forward with her hands on her thighs, watching the prince and his uncle from the curtain of her hair.

"Uncle, she can help me learn how to fight the Avatar!" Zuko snapped after he's jerked his foot from Iroh's hand, "I can learn how to fight against an Airbender!"

"You really are nuts..." Xiaodan muttered as she straightened and tossing her waist-length hair over her shoulder, "Just my luck to be kidnapped by a psycho, banished Fire Nation prince with a superiority complex. I bet the Spirits are laughing at me right now in the Spirit World."

Iroh glanced over his should er at the muttering girl then turned back to his nephew with a stern look on his face.

"Did Miss Xiaodan agree to this exercise?"

"No, she did not!" Xiaodan shouted from behind the two men, but she was ignored.

"I don't need to ask a prisoner for permission to do anything!" Zuko snarled at his uncle, "She is my prisoner and she will do as she is ordered!"

"In your dreams, firebug!" Xiaodan hissed as she stalked past Iroh and poked Zuko's chest, "You can do whatever you want to me and I still won't do anythingyou tell me to do, you little fire shooting, girl-hitting jerk!"

"Why you annoying, mouthy, little pest..." Zuko growled as the two glared at each other, their noses practically touching.

"Calm down, both of you!" Iroh barked, pushing the two furious teens apart and moving to stand between them, "Prince Zuko, Miss Xiaodan may be your captive but you will treat her with respect and courtesy. And you, young lady, are technically a prisoner and you must cooperate and not antagonize your captor."

Xiaodan scowled darkly, her orange eyes glowing like twin fires as she and the prince glared at each other.

"I will not help him hurt my brother." She stated through clenched teeth, her hands in white-knuckled fists at her sides.

Zuko's expression changed instantly from furious to surprise.

"The Avatar is your brother?" He demanded, his golden eyes glittering with wicked intent.

Xiaodan groaned when she realized her mistake and began beating her head against the ship's railing. Iroh stroked his beard as he watched the girl from beside his nephew, who was now grinning victoriously.

Sokka watched Jet cup his hands around his mouth and made a few birdcalls from a slightly higher branch. Several trees away, Smellerbee and Pipsqueak stepped into view, and Smellerbee replied with her own birdcall. Sokka pulled his jawbone knife from its sheath and slammed the blade into the tree.

"What are you doing?" Jet asked quietly, looking behind him at the other boy.

"Shh..." Sokka shushed him, leaning closer to the knife, "It amplifies vibrations."

"Good trick." Jet complimented, actually impressed with the other boy.

"Nothing yet." Sokka muttered after he put his ear against the knife handle, then paused, "Wait! Yes, someone's approaching."

"How many?" Jet whispered back.

"I think there's just one." Sokka replied just as quietly and Jet turned back to face the path below them and made a couple more birdcalls.

"Good work, Sokka." The Freedom Fighters' leader complimented as he looked back at the Water Tribe boy, "Ready your weapon."

Sokka pulled his knife from the tree and held it at the ready, looking down at the road only to blink in surprise when he saw an old man shuffling down the path.

"Wait, false alarm..." Sokka whispered to Jet as he relaxed slightly, "He's just an old man."

Jet ignored him and leaped from the branch, landing a few feet in front of the old man with his swords drawn.

"What are you doing in our woods, you leech?" Jet demanded with a sneer.

"Please, sir, I'm just a traveler." The old man stated as he held one hand out imploringly.

Jet took a few steps forward and the man back away slightly then Jet used one of his swords to smack the old man's walking stick out of his hand. The old man whimpered slightly and turned around to run away only to run straight into Pipsqueak's chest, which sent him to the ground. The large boy loomed over the old man and the elderly man attempted to crawl away but Pipsqueak stopped him by pushing his foot into the old man's back.

"Do you like destroying towns? Do you like destroying families?" Jet demanded harshly as he walked up to the old man pinned to the ground, "Do you?!"

"Oh...please let me go." The elderly man begged, "Have mercy."

"Does the Fire Nation let people go? Does the Fire Nation have mercy?" Jet snarled and pulled his foot back to kick the man only for Sokka to grab his ankle with his club.

"Jet, he's just an old man!" Sokka protested and Jet whirled around to face the Water Tribe boy, pulling his foot away from the club.

"He's Fire Nation, search him!" Jet ordered Pipsqueak and Smellerbee as he loomed over Sokka.

"But he's not hurting anyone!" Sokka shouted angrily as Pipsqueak pulled the old man to his feet and Smellerbee began to search him.

"Have you forgotten that the Fire Nation killed your mother?" Jet demanded as he glared at the other teen, "Remember why you fight!"

"We've got his stuff, Jet." Smellerbee broke in as she held up the old man's bag and Pipsqueak tossed him back to the ground.

"This doesn't feel right." Sokka growled, glaring up at Jet furiously.

"It's what has to be done." Jet retorted then shoved past Sokka, "Now, let's get outta here."

Pipsqueak and Smellerbee followed after their leader and Sokka looked down at the old man still on the ground, his expression full of pity.

"Come on, Sokka!" Jet ordered over his shoulder and Sokka backed away from the man then turned around slowly, running to catch up with the other three.

"Sokka, look what the Duke gave me!" Aang exclaimed as he jumped off the zip-line and onto the platform Sokka was brooding on, reaching into the bag and pulling a small pelt from it.

The young Airbender grinned slyly then tossed the pellet at the platform, next to where Momo was sitting where it exploded with a pop. Momo jumped up and growled angrily with his hair standing on end then he hissed and lunged for the bag. The lemur scaled up Aang's body and perched on his shoulder, tossing several of the pellets he had snatched at the bald boy's feet, causing Aang to begin dancing around wildly.

"Ow!" Aang yelped as he danced, "Quit it!"

Sokka ignored Aang and Momo, continuing to glare at his hands folded in his lap with his back to the trunk of the tree. Katara climbed down from the platform above and walked over to her brother, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Hey, Sokka." She greeted, "Is Jet back?"

"Yeah, he's back." Sokka snapped, turning to look over at his sister and Aang, "But we're leaving."

"What?" Aang asked, confused and slightly upset while Katara looked at her brother in surprise.

"But I made him this hat." Katara whined slightly, holding up a hat made out of stitched leaves with an orange flower on top.

"You're boyfriend Jet's a thug." Sokka stated, his arms crossed over his shoulder as he stared at his sister and Aang.

"What?" Katara demanded then protested, "No, he's not!"

"He's messed up, Katara."

"He's not messed up, he's just got a different way of life." Aang piped in, his tone slightly irritated, "A really fun way of life. Xia would have agreed with me."

"Well, Xia's not here and Jet beat and robbed a harmless old man!" The Water Tribe boy barked, causing Aang to flinch slightly and looked down.

"I want to hear Jet's side of the story." Katara said angrily, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed.

"Sokka, you told them what happened, but you didn't mention that the guy was Fire Nation?" Jet asked, his eyes closed as he sat on his bed in his room with Katara and Aang standing in front of him while Sokka leaned against the wall behind them.

"No, he conveniently left that part out." Katara replied, turning to glare at her brother.

"Fine!" Sokka stated, pushing away from the wall and walking to stand by his sister, " But even if he was Fire Nation, he was harmless civilian!"

"He was an assassin, Sokka." Jet commented calmly as he pulled out a curved knife and stabbed it into the table made out of a stump in front of him.

"See? There's a compartment for poison in the knife." Jet explained as he unscrewed the top of the handle and removed a small vial filled with red liquid, "He was sent to eliminate me. You helped save my life, Sokka."

"I knew there was an explanation!" Katara exclaimed in relief as she smiled slightly.

Sokka frowned and glared at the blade, "I didn't see any knife."

"That's because he was concealing it." The Freedom Fighters' leader insisted and Katara gestured to the knife with a small smile.

"See, Sokka? I'm sure you just didn't notice the knife."

"There was no knife!" Sokka exploded then whirled around to leave, "I'm back to the hut and packing my things."

Jet watched as the older Water Tribe sibling stomp out of the room then he turned to look at Aang and Katara imploringly as he got to his feet.

"Tell me you guys aren't leaving yet. I really need your help."

"What can we do?" Aang asked, eager to help the older teen as he tried not to let what Sokka said earlier affect him.

"The Fire Nation is planning on burning down our forest." Jet explained, "If you both use Waterbending to fill the reservoir, we could fight the fires. But if you leave now, they'll destroy the whole valley."

Aang and Katara looked at each other then back at Jet, nodding their heads in agreement.

"We can't leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down a forest!" Katara shouted at her brother as she and Aang entered the hut they had been staying.

"I'm sorry, Katara." Sokka apologized as he finished tying up his bedroll then stood and faced his sister and friend, "Jet's very smooth, but we can't trust him."

"You know what I think?" Katara commented as she crossed her arms, "You're jealous that he's a better warrior and a better leader!"

"Katara, I'm not jealous of Jet." Sokka retorted as calmly as he could, "It's just that my instinct-"

"Well my instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet." Katara cut her brother off then turned and started leaving the hut, "Come on, Aang."

Aang hesitated a moment, thinking about what Xia would do in this situation before he turned and followed after Katara.

"Sorry, Sokka." The Airbender apologized over his shoulder.

Xiaodan looked out the narrow, red-tinted window in the room she had slept in the night before, staring up at the full moon longingly. She tugged at the hem of her dark orange shirt and wondered if Aang, Sokka, and Katara were doing okay, wherever they were.

She had been locked in the metal room shortly after hers and Zuko's argument on the deck of the ship, after she had accidently said Aang was her brother. Iroh had brought dinner and tea just as the sun had set, then he had sat down to eat and drink tea with her until he had retired to bed hours ago.

The white-haired girl sighed quietly and let the hem of her shirt go, placing her hand on the red-tinted glass with her fingers spread so that they covered the moon.

"Please be safe, Aang." She whispered quietly then stood and moved to the sleeping mat in the corner of the room, relaxing her body and mind until she fell into a light sleep.

"Let's go."

"Huh?" Sokka muttered quietly as he woke up from his light sleep.

He carefully stepped over Aang and Katara's sleeping bodies and pulled back the tattered cloth covering the entrance to the hut, his eyes narrowing when he saw Jet and a couple Freedom Fighters descend from the rope lines. Thinking quickly, Sokka tip-toed out of the hut and grabbed one of the rope lines, swinging to a lower branch where he crouched, watching Jet lead Smellerbee, Pipsqueak, Longshot, and Sneers with the cart full of barrels of blasting jelly away from the hideout. Stealthily, Sokka climbed down from the tree and followed the group, using the trees on one side of the path for cover.

Jet leaded his Freedom Fighters out of the forest and walked towards the edge of the cliff, looking at the valley below, where upstream and towards the wall of the valley is an old falls and beyond that a man-made dam. Jet turned his gaze from the valley and looked at the dam, where the low reservoir was.

"Now listen," Jet ordered as he turned back to his Freedom Fighters, "You are not to blow the dam until I give the signal. If the reservoir isn't full, the Fire Nation troops could survive."

The Duke jumped off the wagon and looked up at his leader curiously, "But what about the people in the town, won't they get wiped out too?"

Jet walked up to the youngest Freedom Fighter and placed his hand on his small shoulder.

"Look Duke, that's the prince of ridding this area of the Fire Nation." He explained gently then looked at Longshot, "Now don't blow the damn until I give you the signal-got it?"

Longshot nodded his head, remaining characteristically silent.

Sokka watched the group with an incredulous expression as he listened to Jet's plan. He frowned and was about to head back to the hideout when a rustling sounded behind him and he was suddenly yanked out of the bushes by his ponytail by Pipsqueak.

"Where do you think you're going, ponytail?" Smellerbee sneered, pressing the tip of her knife against Sokka's throat.

"Sokka, I'm glad you decided to join us." Jet stated sarcastically from his spot standing at the edge of the cliff as Pipsqueak and Smellerbee dragged the struggling Water Tribe boy towards him.

Pipsqueak and Smellerbee pushed Sokka to his knees in front of Jet and Sokka rubbed his shoulder.

"I heard you plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom town." The Water Tribe boy snapped and glared up at Jet, getting slowly to his feet.

"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation." Jet said unwaveringly.

"There are people living there Jet!" Sokka yelled angrily, "Mothers and fathers and children!"

"We can't win without making some sacrifices."

"You lied to Aang and Katara about the forest fire!" Sokka accused, pointing his finger at Jet.

"Because they don't understand the demands of war." Jet explained calmly, "Not like you and I do."

"I do understand." Sokka stated coolly, "I understand that there's nothing you won't do to get what you want."

"I was hoping you'd have an open mind," Jet stated reproachfully as he closed his eyes for a moment then looked at Sokka, "But, I can see you've made your choice."

Pipsqueak and Smellerbee made a grab for Sokka and before he could even react his wrist is pinned by the hooks at the end of Jet's swords while Smellerbee pinned his other arm behind his back.

"I can't let you warn Katara and Aang." Jet stated as he let go of Sokka's wrist which is forced behind his back by Smellerbee, "Take him for a walk, a long walk."

"You can't do this!" Sokka shouted as Smellerbee and Pipsqueak began dragging him away.

"Cheer up, Sokka." Jet commented lightly, "We're gonna win a great victory against the Fire Nation today."

Xiaodan sat across from Iroh on the deck, staring intently at the Pai Sho board that had been brought, along with a small table by a crew member after she and Iroh had eaten breakfast. Lips pursed thoughtfully, Xiaodan tapped her chin then pushed one of her pieces forward three spaces.

"An interesting move, Miss Xiaodan." Iroh mused as he stared thoughtfully at the board, stroking his beard then moved one of his own pieces.

"Xia." She muttered as she mental went through various moves in her mind, "Call me Xia."

"Very well," Iroh agreed with a slight smile as the girl moved her piece then he frowned when he realized he had just lost, "Shoot..."

Xiaodan giggled lightly, covering her mouth with a hand at the irritated look on the old man's face as he looked at the board from different angles in an attempt to figure out how she had beat him again.

Iroh huffed as he sat back down across from her on the small floor cushion, "Well played, young lady, very well played."

The white-haired girl gave him a cheeky smile that was quickly wiped off her tanned face when Zuko stomped out of the command tower and stormed towards them.

"Uncle!" The scarred prince shouted, sounding angry as always as he walked towards them, "We need..."

Zuko's voice trailed off and his eyes narrowed when he saw the white-haired girl sitting across from his uncle at the Pai Sho board, an irritatingly defiant look on her tanned and tattooed face.

"What's up, Firebug?" She drawled in amusement, ducking her head to hide the mischievous smile on her face when Iroh sent her a reproving look; she still refused to cooperate or stop antagonizing the banished Fire Nation prince and Iroh knew this.

"Uncle, why is the prisoner out of her room without being bound?" Zuko demanded, looking down at his Iroh when he noticed the white-haired girl didn't have her manacles on her wrists anymore.

Iroh sighed exasperatedly and looked up at his nephew, "Prince Zuko, Xia is a lady and you do not chain up ladies, prisoner or not."

"She is no lady, Uncle! She is nothing but an Air Nomad peasant!" Zuko retorted, glaring over at the white-haired girl who merely stuck out her tongue out at him childish, her orange eyes glittering with mischief and defiance.

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh scolded, giving his nephew a stern look and Zuko looked away with a scowl, "Now, what is it you wanted?"

"I wish to question the prisoner about the Avatar's location." Zuko rumbled through clenched teeth, his hands fisted at his sides.

"Not gonna happen." Xiaodan sang stubbornly as she began clearing the Pai Sho board in preparation for another game, "Besides how can I know his location when I have not been traveling with him for the past five days?"

Zuko's eye twitched and he glowered at the girl's bowed head while Iroh hid an amused smile behind his fan.

"If you insist on evading questions," Zuko hissed, his teeth still clenched, "Then you and I can spar instead, maybe that will loosen your tongue."

"Sorry, Firebug," Xiaodan stated unapologetically as she placed Iroh's Pai Sho tiles in his hand, then began organizing her own, "I'm playing Pai Sho with your uncle."

"Perhaps, you would like to play against her instead of spar, Prince Zuko." Iroh suggested, grinning when he saw the horrified looks on the two teens' faces.

Zuko growled and whirled around, stomping back towards the command tower, leaving Xiaodan and Iroh to watch his retreating form.

"He really should remove that stick from his backside." Xiaodan commented offhandedly as she placed one of her pieces on the board.

Iroh just shook his head and moved his own piece, his lips quirked in amusement.

"Why, Jet?!" Katara shouted after freezing the leader of the Freedom Fighters to a tree after she and Aang had seen a couple of the Freedom Fighters unloading the barrels of blasting jelly from the cart and arranging them around the dam and Jet had attacked Aang after the young Airbender had tried to go and stop them, "I can't believe I trusted you! You lied to me, you're sick and I trusted you!"

A birdcall startled Aang and Katara and they looked towards the valley then back to Jet when the young man gave an answering birdcall.

"What are you doing?" Katara demanded worriedly.

"You're too late." Jet commented coolly and Katara's expression became horrified.

"No!"

Aang opened his glider and ran towards the cliff edge, snapping his glider open but they were so badly damaged that he couldn't get any lift and slammed back into the ground near the edge.

"Sokka's still out there, he's our only hope." Aang muttered, in pain from the fall as Katara ran towards him and helped him up.

"Come on, Sokka." Katara whispered, looking out at the valley, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, please!"

The two benders watched in horror as a flaming arrow soared through the air, arcing down towards the base of the dam.

"No..." Katara whispered as the center of the dam exploded in a cloud and fire, she and Aang watching as a massive wall of water broke free and rushed towards the town.

The wall of water rushed through the open gate, a cresting wave dwarfing it as the wall and gate are swallowed and the wave struck the down.

"Sokka didn't make it in time..." Aang rasped, looking in horror at the submerged town in the valley.

"All those people..." Katara whispered as tears gathered in her eyes then she whirled around to face Jet, her expression full of rage, "Jet, you monster!"

"This is a victory, Katara. Remember that." Jet stated firmly, "The Fire Nation is gone and this valley will be safe."

"It will be safe, without you."

Jet, Katara, and Aang looked shock as they watched Sokka, Appa and Momo rise from below the level of the cliff.

"Sokka!" Katara cried out, looking up at her brother where he was sitting on Appa's head as Momo jumped into Aang's arms.

"I warned the villagers of your plan, just in time." Sokka stated, glaring over at Jet fiercely.

"What!?" Jet shouted in shock, looking at Sokka in surprise.

"At first they didn't believe me." Sokka explained, "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, you fool!" Jet shouted angrily, straining against the ice trapping him to the trees, "We could've freed this valley!"

"Who would be free?" Sokka asked rhetorically as Aang climbed into Appa's saddle, "Everyone would be dead."

"You traitor!"

"No, Jet." Sokka stated with a shake of his head, "You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people."

Jet looked away from Sokka and towards Katara pleadingly.

"Katara." He asked imploringly, "Please, help me."

Katara closed her eyes and climbed into Appa's saddle, "Goodbye, Jet."

"Yip-yip." Sokka said as he flicked the reins and Appa jumped into the air, leaving Jet frozen to tree.

"We thought you were going to the dam." Aang stated, looking at Sokka curiously, "How come you went to the town instead?"

"Let me guess," Katara teased good-naturedly as she smiled at her brother, "Your instincts told you."

"Hey, sometimes they're right." Sokka said with a grin and a shrug.

"Um...Sokka?" Aang questioned in amusement, "You know we're going the wrong way, right?"

Sokka blinked in surprise, but recovered quickly and turned Appa around with a grin as he headed in the opposite direction.

"And sometimes they're wrong."

Aang smiled slightly and looked away, unable to stop himself from wondering if Xiaodan was okay and what she would have done had she been here. He smiled up at Katara when the dark-haired girl put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.