Kaida Queen Of Ice <<ATLA; Book two: Earth>>

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

We had stayed the night but we didn't notice until it was morning and they came out waking us up, well waking Zuko up and therefore waking me up.

"What's going on? Is the club meeting over?" Zuko asked jolting up ready to fight. I glared at him for waking up so paranoid.

"Everything is taken care of, we're headed to Ba Sing Se." Iroh told us.

"Ba Sing Se?" Zuko repeated. "Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom Capital?"

I yawned. "Yeah? Wouldn't they kill you if they find out who you actually are?" I asked and rubbed my eye.

"The city is filled with refugees, no one will notice three more." The man answered. "The people around won't know who any of you are, trust me."

Trust you, yeah right. We don't even know him.

"We can hide in plain sight there." Iroh added. "And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city."

"I have the passports for our three guest." A younger man walked in. "But there are two men out there looking for them."

We looked out and saw the men from last night asking people and showing them Zuko and Iroh's wanted posters. Zuko and I looked at each other and I wanted to fight someone so bad, but it would draw attention so Iroh and the florist came up with another plan.
   We got in pots and the same younger guy rolled us out, the ride was very boring and dark and smelled of dirt, clearly.
I sighed and peeked out just as Zuko and Iroh did. I smiled and looked down at the village, we were pretty far. I sat back down and enjoyed the silence, eventually we got out to a plain rock wall.

"Is this some sick joke?" I asked pinning the guy to the wall.

"N-no!" He replied scared for his own life. "The passage is hidden so no one from the Fire Nation can find it."

"Oh." I let go and chuckled embarrased. "Sorry, trust issues."

"Serious ones." Zuko muttered as the walls opened.
   He just wanted to make me feel guilty and it was working.

The man handed us each our passports and we walked in. I looked around at all the families but I only caught small glimpse of them as we moved quickly and got on the next ferry ride just before it was leaving.
We settled in and I looked around as everyone who was on did the same. I noticed that everyone was packed on the deck, they didn't get rooms.

"Who would have thought after all these years I would return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace," Iroh sadly said but then grinned and placed the hat on his head. It was just as ugly as the one Katara made for wheat boy. "As a tourist!"

"Look around, we're not tourist! We're refugees." Zuko said and drank the spoiled soup we were provided. He spit it out. "I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt, I'm tired of living like this."

I patted his shoulder but stopped when I heard a familiar voice. "Aren't we all," the voice asked.
Zuko and Iroh both turned around. "My names Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot."

Why me?! What did I really do to deserve this?

I covered my lower face with the mask I had and nodded to greet them. But I noticed Longshot's long gaze on me, I hoped he wouldn't tell the others if he knew. I mean it wasn't too obvious, my hair was still short and blue eyes, the only thing they couldn't call me out for were my freckles which they have seen and the fact that I was in Earth Kingdom attire.

"Hello." Zuko greeted them and turned back around to face the water.

"Here's the deal I heard the captains eating like a king while us refugees eat off his scraps." Jet explained to someone who couldn't care less. "Doesn't seem fair does it."

"What sort of King is he eating like?" Iroh asked.

"The fat happy kind." Jet replied and Iroh drooled. "You want to help us.. liberate some food?"

"You mean steal food?" I asked and Jet looked at me.

"It's stealing at a good price. We take from the rich and give to the poor." He explained. "We deserve real food."

I looked at Zuko as he stared at the bowl please say no, please say no, please say no. "I'm in." He said throwing the rotten soup into the ocean.

I said please!!!

⇢ ⇢ ⇢

That night we snuck into the kitchen and started taking the food. They were so extra with their swords. Smellerbee, who was waiting just outside, warned us when the guards were coming and we left. Longshot, shot an arrow with a rope so we could slide down. We snuck back to the deck and began to pass the food out.

"Thank you." The lady told me and so did her three kids and her husband.

"No need for that." I shook my head and went on to the next people. I sat next to Zuko along with everybody else, as they had just finished eating.

"So Smellerbee, that's an unusual name for a young man." Iroh said.

"Maybe it's because I'm not a man, I'm a girl!" Smellerbee yelled and got up, Longshot followed.

"Oh now I see!" Iroh called out. "It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!"

"Aren't you going to eat?" Zuko asked and I nodded.

"Just not yet." I answered.

"Just eat now." He said reaching for the mask but I grabbed his wrist, watching as a blush over take his face.

"From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se." Jet came over and I let go of Zuko's wrist. He sat with us. "I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall."

"It is a magnificent site." Iroh replied. Zuko and I looked over at him.

"So you've been there before?" Jet asked.

"Once, when I was a different man." Iroh said his voice sounded genuine and I smiled.

"I've done somethings in my past that I'm not proud of." This caught my attention, I looked at him, I was remembering all the things he did to my siblings, the way he manipulated Katara. "But that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se."
His eyes landed on me and I quickly glanced away. "For a new beginning, a second chance."

I did feel like Jet could change, I mean Zuko was slowly changing. But I was never going to trust Jet not after what he did to Katara. It's hard for me to trust anyone so it's no surprise.

"That's very noble of you." Iroh told him. "I believe people can change their lives if they want to, I believe in second chances."

"Not everyone deserves a second chance." I said and they looked at me. "Come with me." I pulled Zuko up with me and walked away.

"What?" He asked as we stopped at the railing and I shrugged focusing on the waves.

I stayed quiet trying to think about what I was feeling and why I was feeling that way, more like why wasn't I feeling that way.

Confusing, right?

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Edited; 11/05/20
Re-Edited; 7/10/21