by The Tale of Aang; Azula; Toph; Sokka; Zuko; Katara (retail) (epub)
The Avatar and his friends are still here, but I don’t care about capturing my prize anymore. I don’t care about anything, not if I lose Uncle. “Get away from us!” I shouted. I don’t want them staring at us.
“Zuko, I can help,” the Waterbending girl said.
I don’t want their help. I don’t need help, especially not from an enemy. I will not show weakness to my enemy. “Leave!” I ordered, and I flung a Firebending blast just above their heads.
As they left, I looked around for some kind of shelter for Uncle. He has to rest. I spotted an abandoned house and carried him in there, where he slept for a long while, trembling and shaking.
When his eyes finally opened, I told him, “Uncle, you were unconscious. Azula did this to you.”
He groaned with pain. I handed him a cup of tea. “I hope I made it the way you like it.” My uncle has always taken care of me. It’s the least I can do in return.
“So, Uncle, I’ve been thinking,” I said, after awhile. “It’s only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I’m going to need to know more advanced Firebending if I want to stand a chance against her.”
I brace myself for a lecture about family and getting along. “I know what you’re going to say—she’s my sister and I should be trying to get along with her.”
But what Uncle said surprised me!
“No,” he said. “She’s crazy and she needs to go down. It’s time to resume your training.”
Uncle seems to be getting stronger. He’s going to be okay. And I’m going to continue my training.
He showed me how to create lightning. First he did it, then it was my turn.
Ahhhhh! What happened? No lightning. Just a big fiery explosion. But why? What’s wrong with me? “Why didn’t it work? Instead of lightning, it exploded in my face, like everything always does!” Again I have failed.
“You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you.”
What is he talking about? “What turmoil?”
“Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away.”
“Uncle, I don’t feel any shame at all. I am as proud as ever.”
“True humility is the only antidote to shame.”
Humility? Certainly no one knows more about humility than me. “My life has been nothing but humbling lately,” I said. So now what? I can’t go home, I can’t defeat Azula, and I can’t capture the Avatar.
“I have another idea,” Uncle said.
He then showed me a way to redirect lightning.
“Great! I’m ready to try redirecting real lightning,” I said after I had practiced a few exercises.
“What, are you crazy? Lightning’s very dangerous!”
Why is he showing me this if I don’t even get to use it? What’s the point? “I thought you taught me this so I could protect myself from lightning.”
“Yes, but I’m not going to shoot lightning at you. If you are lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all.”
This is a waste of time! If I can’t practice the real technique, how will I know it will work when I face Azula? “Well, if you won’t help me, I’ll find my own lightning!”
I climbed onto my ostrich-horse and galloped toward the mountains, in the direction of an approaching storm. I climbed to the top of the mountain as the rain beat down.
I heard thunder in the distance, but it was getting closer. I will find lightning and I will redirect it. Throwing my head back, I thought about all the bad luck that has come my way my whole life, and I shouted up to the heavens, “You’ve always thrown everything you could at me. Well I can take it, and now I can give it back! Go on, strike me! Strike me with your lightning!”
Why won’t the lightning hit me? “Come on, you’ve never held back before!” Now when I want danger to find me, it won’t. Are the heavens themselves mocking me?
But there was no response. “Ahhhhhh!” I cried out in frustration. I have failed … again.
Chapter 4
I give up. I can’t spend the rest of my life chasing Azula and losing to her. I’ve got to move on, find somewhere safe. I returned to Uncle, and, thankfully, he didn’t mention my failure with the lightning. We climbed onto the ostrich-horse and rode off.
“Ow-oh-ow-uh.” Uncle continued to moan and groan. It was too soon for him to travel. “Maybe we should make camp,” I suggested.
“No, please, don’t stop just for me. Ow-oh-ow-uh.”
Okay, that’s it. We have to stop. Why can’t Uncle just admit he’s in pain? I helped him down from the ostrich-horse and found a place for him to sit. Just as Uncle seemed to be comfortable, we heard the sound of riders approaching.
“What now?” Uncle said, groaning.
A bunch of Fire Nation soldiers riding rhinos burst from the woods and surrounded us.
“Colonel Mongke? What a pleasant surprise,” Uncle said.
“You know these guys?”
“Sure, Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary.”
“We’re here to apprehend you two fugitives,” Colonel Mongke snarled.
“Would you like some tea first?” Uncle asked.
I know Uncle well enough to know that he’s not interested in having tea with these men. He’s trying to buy himself some time, to prepare for battle. Well, I’m ready too.
“Enough stalling!” Mongke shouted. “Round ’em up!”
Uncle released a wall of fire and I blasted a few others with my own Firebending moves. These soldiers may be legendary, but they were no match for us! Within a few moments we were back on the ostrich-horse making our escape.
“It’s nice to see old friends,” Uncle said.
Always making jokes, Uncle. Some things never change. “Too bad you don’t have any old friends who don’t want to attack you.”
“Hmm … old friends that don’t want to attack me?”
Uh-oh, what’s he thinking now? What idea did I just give him? Whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.
Uncle led us to a rundown old dive called the Misty Palms Oasis Cantina. “You think we’re going to find someone to help us in this place? These people just look like filthy wanderers.”
“So do we,” Uncle said. “Ah, this is interesting. I think I’ve found our friend.”
He was staring at an old man sitting at a Pai Sho table. “You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?” I asked.
“I don’t think this is a gamble,” he replied, walking over to the man.
“May I have this game?” Uncle asked. The man nodded, then Uncle made the first move.
“I see you favor the white lotus gambit,” the old man said. “Not many still cling to the ancient ways.”
“Those who do can always find a friend,” Uncle answered—a little mysteriously, I thought.
They placed pieces on the board quickly. It didn’t even look like they were playing Pai Sho. It looked more like they were making some kind of picture with the pieces. After a while they stopped. Now what was the old man going to do?
“Welcome, brother,” he said. “The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets.”
First crazy Pai Sho patterns, now strange talk. What are we even doing here? “What are you old gas bags talking about?” I asked.
“I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game,” Uncle said.
Well, what does that mean? Before I had the chance to ask more questions, two men came toward us.
“It’s over!” the taller man shouted. “You two fugitives are coming with me!”
We’ve got to get out. But Uncle’s new friend jumped to his feet and pointed at us. “I knew it!” he shouted. “You two are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!”
I thought Uncle had gotten the guy on our side. “You said he would help!” I whispered to Uncle.
“He is,” Uncle whispered back. “Just watch.”
The old man turned to the ones
who had approached us. “You think you’re going to collect all that gold?” he yelled.
Now he had everyone in the place standing and staring at us. The tall man moved toward us, but a crowd started forming around him! Soon a huge brawl broke out, and Uncle’s friend signaled for us to slip out the side door. I finally got it. By shouting about gold the old guy set off the brawl as a distraction. We had to follow him and get out of here before anyone realized that we were gone.
But I still have no idea who this guy really is. Can we trust him? He led us to a flower shop, looking back over his shoulder the whole way.
“It is an honor to welcome such a high ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus,” the man said when we were inside and he had once again checked to make sure that we hadn’t been followed.
The Order of the White Lotus? More mysterious talk. Why are we here? “Now that you’ve played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is someone in this secret club going to offer some real help?” I asked again.
“You must forgive my nephew,” Uncle told the man. “He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts.”
We reached a door at the back of the shop. A small panel in the door slid open.
“Who knocks at the garden gate?” asked a man behind the door.
“One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries,” Uncle replied.
More crazy talk, but the door did open. At least maybe someone in there can help and—WHAM! Uncle and the man just went in and slammed the door in my face! What am I, invisible? A small panel opened and my uncle’s face peeked through.
“I’m afraid it’s members only,” he said. “Wait out here.”
Oh, great. So I can’t even see what’s going on in this secret club of theirs. I waited … and waited … and waited. What’s taking so long? What are they doing in there?
I dozed off for a while before they finally came out. “What’s going on? Is the club meeting over?” I asked.
“Everything is taken care of,” Uncle said. “We’re heading to Ba Sing Se.”
“Ba Sing Se? Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?”
“The city is filled with refugees,” Uncle’s new friend said. “No one will notice two more.”
“We can hide in plain sight there,” Uncle explained. “And it’s the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn’t break through to the city.”
So we really are giving up, going to hide in the Earth Kingdom capital where Azula can’t find us. We’re not going home. I’m not going to fight my sister, capture the Avatar, or reclaim my honor. I’m going to spend the rest of my life as a fugitive, a refugee, hiding from the world. Mostly hiding from myself. I never thought it would end like this, but I really don’t have other choices right now.
Suddenly a man rushed into the room carrying some papers. He seemed to be in a panic. “I have the passports for our two guests, but there are two men out on the street looking for them,” he said.
I peered out the front window of the shop.
It was the two men from the cantina. They were showing a wanted poster to everyone on the street. What do we do now? Run? Hide? Stay and fight?
Uncle’s friend pointed to two vases that were large enough to hide in. We quickly slipped into the huge clay pots and Uncle’s friend placed some soil and flowers over our heads.
I squatted in the dark, hiding under the dirt and flowers, and trying to make out what was happening. I could feel that we were moving in some kind of cart. I could hear the squeaking wheels of the cart rolling us from the shop.
Then I heard the two men from the cantina yelling at Uncle’s friend, but their voices sounded far away. I guessed we were moving away from the shop, toward our new life in Ba Sing Se.
Chapter 5
We made our way to the boat dock, then, using our fake passports, boarded the ferry to Ba Sing Se.
“Who would have thought that after all these years I’d return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace … as a tourist!” Uncle said, putting on a silly hat and laughing.
How can he joke about our utter defeat? Here we are, a great general and a prince, running away to hide in the stronghold of our enemy. At this point, I am doubtful that we’ll ever see our home again. We’ll be prisoners within a walled city, afraid to venture out for fear of encountering Azula. What exactly is there to joke about? I find no humor in shame. “Look around, Uncle. We’re not tourists, we’re refugees.”
I slurped down a sip of the slop they fed us and quickly spat it overboard. “Ugh. I’m sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I’m tired of living like this!”
“Aren’t we all?” said a soft voice from behind me.
I turned to see three guys—refugees, judging by their looks.
“My name’s Jet,” one of them said. “And these are my freedom fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot.
“Hey,” Smellerbee said.
Longshot just nodded.
“Hello,” I said cautiously. Freedom fighters? What do these guys want from me?
“Here’s the deal,” Jet began. “I hear the captain’s eating like a king while us refugees have to feed off the scraps. Doesn’t seem fair, does it?” He stared at me as he asked, “You want to help us liberate some food?”
I like the sound of that. I’m ready to eat like a king. And I’m sure Uncle is, too. “I’m in,” I replied, tossing the bowl of swill overboard.
That night, Jet, Smellerbee, and I made our way up to the captain’s quarters. Through the window I saw a huge amount of food spread out on a big table. It looked like someone was about to have a feast. And that someone is me.
Jet popped open the lock with his sword. He and I slipped in while Smellerbee stood guard. I cut down some roast ducks, then gathered up boxes of food with my swords, stacking and tying them in one swift motion. Just like old times—only without the blue mask.
“Guards coming!” Smellerbee called out.
That was our signal to leave. We grabbed a few more items, then ducked back out and headed down to the lower deck with our feast. Uncle, Smellerbee, Longshot, and I dug into the delicious food while Jet handed some out to the other refugees.
I like this guy. He has an idea, makes a plan, and takes action. And because of that, we refugees have the food we deserve.
“From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se,” Jet said, sitting down and joining us. “I can’t wait to set my eyes on that giant wall.”
“It’s a magnificent sight,” Uncle said.
“So you’ve been there before?” Jet asked.
I stiffened slightly, not sure how Uncle was going to handle this. He can’t let on that we’re Fire Nation.
“Once,” he replied. “When I was a … different man.”
Okay, I hope Jet doesn’t ask Uncle to elaborate. And he didn’t. Jet nodded as if he understood. “I’ve done some things in my past that I’m not proud of. But that’s why I’m going to Ba Sing Se—for a new beginning, a second chance.”
“That’s very noble of you,” Uncle said. Then he looked right at me as he added, “I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances.”
Is that what this is about? A second chance rather than a failure? A chance to leave my old life behind once and for all? A chance to start over in a place where no one knows me? Forget who I am … who I was? Maybe this is an opportunity rather than a defeat. I’m just not sure.
The following morning as I stood at the ferry’s railing, watching the ship approach the great wall of Ba Sing Se, Jet stepped up beside me.
“You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were,” he said.
What—he knows I’m Fire Nation? That I’m a prince in exile? How can he?
“You’re an outcast, like me,” Jet continued.
Oh, okay. He has no idea. I was relieved.
“And us outcasts have to stick together. We have
to watch each other’s backs. Because no one else will.”
I understood what he was telling me. “I’ve realized lately that being on your own isn’t always the best path,” I replied. Maybe I’ve met another “outcast” who thinks like I do. Maybe things in Ba Sing Se won’t be so bad after all. Maybe.
We arrived at Ba Sing Se’s outer wall and, with the fake passports Uncle’s friends at the White Lotus club had given us, easily passed through the processing center.
Now that we were in, we waited for the monorail to take us into the city itself so we could start our new lives. I’m still not sure what that means, but I can’t stop thinking about Uncle speaking of a second chance.
Jet came over. “So, you guys got plans once you’re in the city?” he asked.
Before I could reply, a tea salesman came by. “Get your hot tea here! Finest tea in Ba Sing Se.”
“Ohh!” Uncle cried. “Jasmine, please!” But he took one sip and spat it out. “Ugh. Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it!”
As Uncle scowled and stared at his cold cup of tea, I got up and walked away, hoping to avoid Jet’s questions. But he kept after me.
“You and I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together,” Jet said. “You want to join my freedom fighters?”
I’m not surprised that Jet asked me to join his gang. It might be a good idea, part of my second chance. They can help me create my new destiny away from the Fire Nation, and forge a new path. But is that what I really want to be doing? I don’t know what I want. Can I really change from being a Fire Nation prince to being a commoner, a refugee? Deep down inside I know that I cannot change or deny who I really am. And sooner or later Jet’s going to realize that I am Fire Nation, that I am his enemy. No, I think for now, at least, I must remain on my own.
“Thanks,” I replied. “But I don’t think you want me in your gang.”
He wouldn’t let me off the hook, though. “Come on,” he said. “We made a great team looting that captain’s food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees.”
Refugees that are here and homeless because of my people—because of my father. “I said no.”