Seizures (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfic)

Forsaken

Jet was not happy.

The teenager felt anger seethe through his body as the Dail Li hauled him into a dismal jail cell where he didn't feel he belonged. In the back of his mind, he didn't understand why the Dai Li didn't care about the potential threat of Firebenders entering the city, let alone why they'd haul him into the pit of despair, he now found himself in.

At least, he thought it was a jail cell.

Jet slammed into what seemed like an interrogation chair as he continued yelling about the two Firebenders in Ba Sing Se, yet the way the Dai Li ignored him aggravated him. Jet ground his teeth together and clenched his jaw before saying, "Is the city under the control of the Fire Nation or something?"

He felt the Dai Li pull his arms to the sides of the chair. Bands of earth strapped across his wrist and brow area as he squirmed, but the rock was hard and clammy. A lamp started going round and round, but he heard the voice of one of the Dai Li attempting to implement thoughts into his head, yet Jet found himself rejecting the idea with his entire being.

"There was no war."

Upon realizing he no longer physically fought the restraints, a shiver ran through his body. Thankfully, every fiber of Jet's body still knew a war was happening outside the walls. That war formulated who he was but was a part of where he came from, even if some of his past mistakes were not to his liking. The idea of forgetting his anger and hatred of Firebenders tore at his very being, but something hit him.

Something hit his being, which was worse, which somehow threw the suggestion the Dai Li were attempting to implement into his mind out the window. Jet opened his mouth and tried to say something, but the words refused to come out of his mouth. His eyes opened and closed despite his attempts at keeping his eyes away from the spinning light as his head started to pound, and his eyes kept being drawn to the light.

"Spirits. Blast those stupid Firebenders. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be in here feeling like a rock just hit me in the temple." Jet's eyes blinked, but the pain was immense. A sudden spasm ran through his entire body. Jet felt his whole body strain against the rock restraints as a strangled cry erupted from his throat.

Something was wrong, but he slipped mentally as his body contorted more erratically as the seconds ticked by while the man in front of him continued to chant. "There is no war."

The man only stopped when another person stepped between Jet and the light. "Stop! We won't be able to brainwash the boy! He's one of those!"

"One of those who end up with fits of seizures upon exposure?" the other man asked. "I don't understand. He looked completely healthy."

"Not anymore. Obviously, there was something wrong with him that we didn't notice when we brought him, just as there were others with whom the ailment wasn't evident. It's going to show now, and no one will want to listen to his yammering about Firebenders as they'll take them as someone who is possibly addled in the head."

"No," the teenager thought. Jet realized his body was continuing to shake involuntarily, but he felt as if he would bite his tongue off. He also felt as if he was trying to forget every memory one at a time, not to mention that whatever was going on made his head feel like it were on fire. He felt a piece of rock jammed painfully into his mouth in a sad attempt to prevent him from biting down.

"A pity. He would have been such a useful tool." The man who stepped before the light didn't hide his disgust. "But now he's useless to all of society."

"No." Was all the young man could think, but the last thing he ever wanted to be useless. His body, in fact, finally stopped contorting, and whoever jammed in the disgusting rock removed the offending item. He found himself attempting to speak. "I... am... rine. Get... te... Riler...benter." His eyes snapped shut in disgust.

"Well, it looks like we won't need to complete the breaking of his mind as his speech has already partially gone," the man said. Nobody bothered putting the rock back into the young man's mouth. He stepped away, and the light started going around again, causing his's body to contort again as a strangled cry escaped his lips. He wanted to yell at his captures, demanding they let him go, yet even calling out for help proved impossible.

Instead, his whole mind was shattering, and he didn't think getting everything back would be possible.

~A~

Zuko found himself looking at the wreckage of the shop, wondering how the situation between him and Jet became so bad. He found himself unable to examine the shop owner in the eye, knowing he and his uncle were why the shop ended up wrecked even though he'd not started the fight with Jet. His mind returned to those who held prejudices towards him on the road, even when he had the best intentions.

Worse, the look on Iroh's face was one of those looks which indicated his uncle was disappointed in him. The shopkeeper missed the look on his uncle's face and waved them away, telling them they could go home early as he needed to clean up the shop after the Dai Li hauled the boy away. Iroh continued giving him a look while they walked away from the carnage, and Zuko's mouth twisted into a deep frown. "What did I do this time?"

"Nothing, nephew," Iroh said, yet Zuko didn't believe this true, mainly when a sigh followed. " I just thought you got along quite well with that other man, but after you fought a bit, perhaps you two could have settled your differences and become friends. After all, it is normal for boys to settle disputes this way."

"You know that wouldn't have happened, Uncle. He hates Firebenders."

"But the four of you stole that food for everyone," Iroh muttered, indicating his disappointment.

"Haven't you gotten mad at me for stealing in the past?" Zuko snapped, remembering all too well the things he'd done before separating from his uncle."

"It depends completely on the moral grounds, nephew, and whether you did it for the right reasons or of desperation in your heart. That is what true honor is about, in part."

"I know, I know, but I don't get these ethics and honor stuff you keep telling me about. I don't understand how one can tell what is morally correct, not honorable."

"Yes. Your father raised you well." The tone in Iroh's voice indicated a bit of disdain.

"Uncle..." Zuko pulled back slightly, startled at his Uncle saying such things against his father, let alone the Fire Lord. He watched Iroh stop in his tracks and turned around to see the older man's mouth pushed into a thin line. "What?"

"No. Listen, Zuko." The tone indicated he wasn't going to hold back. "Your father has no real honor but has left you with a very crippled idea..."

"What? I wanted to ask you to explain how one knows whether something is honorable or not, and you lectured me about father again.

Iroh took a deep breath. "Your father has taught you that honor is about one's achievements and major accomplishments, but winning no matter what the cost."

"So it's not about winning?"

"No, it's not about winning." Iroh looked Zuko directly in the eye. "Honor is about doing what is stuck in your heart, screaming to be let out. It's about doing what your heart feels is right rather than what others say, sometimes even going against what your head tells you to do because it is so engrained into you that thing in your head is the right thing to do even if it might not be."

The two arrived at the apartment then, and Zuko went over to his bed and lay down. "Whatever."

Iroh went to his bed and soon snored, while Zuko didn't want to think of the day's events. His head turned, caught sight of something blue and white sticking out of everything, and bit his lip. He heard Iroh turn over in his sleep but also speak. "Where is that poor boy."

Zuko bit down further on his lip and reached for the mask tucked under his pillow. He sat up and changed into his clothing to become the Blue Spirit, yet he didn't see his Uncle open one eye while he wasn't looking. Instead, Iroh continued snoring, indicating he was indeed asleep.