"You're the ones in the wrong place, firebenders!"
"…"
"…"
"Yes, I know who they are... And that's why I'm going to enjoy this!" With that scream, Jet launched himself into the attack, only to have to retreat when hot water was thrown at his face, leaving him blinded by the splash.
The next thing he felt was a kick that sent him out of the premises, gasping for air.
"I had just swept this floor," Azula's aura turned threatening as she lowered the porcelain vessel on a table. She went outside to see how the boy was slowly recovering.
"You..." Hatred burned in Jet's gaze, his face slightly burned with second-degree marks, "I'll kill you!" With blind fury, he lunged at Azula, slashing with his swords, forcing her to step back.
Grabbing a broomstick, the princess used it to hit Jet's wrists, making him lose his grip on his swords. Without hesitation, she broke the broomstick on his back, causing him to scream in pain and fall.
Kicking the swords away, Azula watched as he tried to get up, only to end up on his knees.
"They're firebenders!" Nearly blinded and weaponless, Jet hoped his cries would summon help.
"Are you crazy? You attacked them in their own place, they were only defending themselves," a bystander interjected.
"Yes, they're not firebenders. If they were, they would have already used that fire to burn you," another chimed in.
"You should be ashamed of attacking the man who makes the best tea in town and his children. Better call the Dai Li to take this fool away," someone else suggested.
Jet wanted to get up and retaliate, but the bystanders outnumbered him.
"What evidence do you have, child?" A voice questioned, skepticism evident.
At least the civilians were hesitant to believe Jet's claim. The idea of firebenders infiltrating the city was like a bad joke.
"His eyes…"
"..." Azula felt pierced by Jet's gaze. Now, there was not only hate but also pain in his eyes.
"You have the same look as the people who took everything from me... my town... my friends... my parents." Every word Jet spoke dripped with bitterness and resentment. "You took everything from us! You ended our lives and ruined those of millions!"
Azula took a step back at his scream, unconsciously clutching her red scarf tightly.
"I don't care why you are here or why you decided to leave your nation! But... I know that a firebender will always be what he is... a monster," he muttered venomously, his hands tearing at the earth.
"..." Azula didn't know where to look. She felt the gazes of all those people on her, but Jet's look affected her the most.
"What have we done for you to attack us?!" With a scream that almost tore his throat, Jet stood up, his vision blurred as he locked eyes with the girl.
No... with that monster.
"Crush us and spit us out like garbage! You started a war that won't end until all of us are dead and only you are left standing!"
Iroh witnessed, like many, how a broken and wounded young man was unleashing all his pain against a single person, who had to bear the weight of the sins of a hundred years of pain and hatred against his nation.
"..." Azula didn't know what to do or where to go. She wanted this boy to stop, to stop telling... Lies? His grip on her scarf almost tore the fabric, and she felt a pressure on her chest that paralyzed her.
"You don't deserve a second chance and live as if you didn't do anything! You deserve the same as the rest of your people! To die!" In his final attempt, Jet pulled out a knife from one of his pockets and ran at full speed towards Azula, who was paralyzed.
She stared into Jet's eyes.
Hatred and pain.
Time seemed to slow down as she saw the knife aimed at her chest.
But Jet couldn't reach her. Rock hands caught his hands and feet, knocking him down.
Silently, the crowd that had gathered entered, and the Dai Li appeared, forcefully grabbing the teenager to drag him away.
"They're wrong! I'm not the enemy! It's them! They're firebenders and they're definitely planning to tear down the walls! And invade-" Jet's screams were cut short by a hard blow to the back of his head, knocking him unconscious.
In the end, Jet was taken away by the Dai Li, and Azula watched everything in silence, lowering her head and returning quietly to the tea shop, where a silent Iroh awaited her, closing the door behind her.
Within minutes, the people were back in the streets, as if nothing had happened.
…..
The day had been dull for them.
While their other friends searched for Appa in different places or sought clues about his whereabouts, two of them remained in the mansion. One felt uncomfortable seeing Joo Dee again after her outburst, and the other simply lacked interest in going outside.
Toph let out a surprisingly loud snore, taking a short nap with her head resting on the shinobi's stomach. He didn't mind her sleeping nearby, or rather, on top of him.
As he stroked the blind bandit's hair, he gazed into space, pondering what to do next.
Train.
It was something he felt compelled to do after the battle against that guy. He didn't feel confident in his own strength. If it hadn't been for Toph, he'd be dead, that was for sure. Were there more people like him out there? He hoped not.
"We're back." The rest of Team Avatar had returned, and their expressions suggested they had found nothing.
"Any luck?" asked Naruto, still stroking the blind girl's hair, while Sokka settled down nearby, seeming ready for a nap too.
"Nothing, and this town makes me more and more nervous," said Katara, feeling like someone was spying on them.
"Maybe we're not looking in the right place," Aang growled with frustration, keeping his gaze fixed on the window. He thought he saw someone on the roof of the neighboring house.
"I'm afraid you're right."
"I'll never get used to this," Sokka muttered to himself, watching one of the sorcerer's many clones emerge from the kitchen, this one placing a map before them.
"I sent several clones throughout Ba Sing Se," unfolding the map, the clone revealed several red marks on the map indicating the areas they had explored.
"Find anything interesting?" Sokka wished he could multiply himself and send his clones to explore different areas. At times like this, he envied the sorcerer's ability.
"No, but when I use transformation on the clones and talk to people, they all seem afraid to discuss anything related to the war or Appa."
"What do you think is going on in this place?" Katara asked, puzzled by the city's strangeness.
"I don't know," taking the original's word this time, he snapped his fingers and made Momo fly up to his arm, handing him a lock of white hair, "But there's more than what they want to tell us."
"Is that...?"
"It's from Appa," Naruto handed the lock of hair to the monk, who sadly examined the bundle, "I had to decrease the number of clones. They were already targeted by the Dai Li, who are quite rude. We don't want to be labeled as spies and get killed before finding Appa."
"It's strange to hear you talk so intelligently," Sokka commented, eyeing the shinobi suspiciously, who just shrugged.
"Maybe it's from petting Toph. It's very relaxing."
"Naruto, don't phrase it like that. It can be misunderstood," Katara seriously considered tying the ninja boy to a chair and teaching him the manners needed to avoid misunderstandings. Although she had to admit, that was one of his charms.
"Oh really?" He tried to move his hands away from Toph, but she grabbed his wrist firmly.
"Why stop?" Opening her eyes, Toph gave her friend a stern look for interrupting her. It was the first time someone had caressed her hair and pampered her like that, and she didn't want it to end soon.
"Weren't you asleep?"
"I woke up ten minutes ago."
"Well, sorry for interrupting your fun, but I have to go to the bathroom."
"I hope you wash your hands."
"I don't want to hear hygiene advice from someone who cuts their toenails with their teeth."
[ If you want to read advance Chapters then go to Pat reon and support me there.
PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]