Chapter Text
Aang came back into the house, closing the door behind. Momo was perched on his shoulders. “I just finished dropping all the leaflets,” Aang announced, setting his staff against the wall. “Has anyone come in with news yet?”
“It’s only been a day,” Katara replied, not even looking up from the board game she was playing with Sokka. “Just be patient.”
“Yeah,” Kaminari agreed, looking up from his phone. “With that many leaflets, someone is bound to find them.”
Aang sat down next to Katara and Sokka, looking restless. A moment later, someone knocked on the door.
“I’ve got it!” Tsuburaba called, leaping to his feet.
“Looks like being patient really does pay off,” Aang beamed, joining Tsuburaba at the door. Tsuburaba pulled the latch open, revealing Joo Dee in the walkway.
“What are you doing here?” Aang asked, confused.
“Hello Aang and Katara and Sokka and Toph, and Tsuburaba and-”
“Cut the crap,” Bakugo growled. “What do you want?”
“Yeah, and what happened to you?” Honenuki piped up. “You disappeared after the Earth King’s party.”
“I simply took a short vacation to Lake Laogai, out in the country,” Joo Dee explained in her false voice, inching closer.
Toph joined the others at the door. “But then you were replaced by another Joo Dee.”
“I’m Joo Dee.”
“This is pointless,” Bakugo snarled.
“Yeah, why are you here?” Aang asked, getting fed up.
Joo Dee held out one of the flyers Aang was distributing. “Dropping flyers and putting up posters is not permitted within the city without proper clearance.”
“We can’t just wait to get permission for everything,” Sokka interjected.
“You are absolutely forbidden-” Joo Dee didn’t finish, because Aang finally snapped.
“We don’t care about your dumb rules and we’re not going to follow them! We are going to find Appa and you should just stay out of our way!” He slammed the door in her face.
“That might come back to bite us in the blubber later,” Sokka noted. Tsuburaba nodded uneasily.
“I don’t care,” Aang cut back. “From now on, we do whatever it takes to find Appa.”
“Alright!” Toph cheered, sending a barrage of rocks at the side of the house. “Let’s break some rules!”
“That was definitely unnecessary,” Honenuki chuckled as half the house collapsed, sending paper everywhere.
“And just like that, my meticulously crafted theory falls apart,” Todoroki said with a hint of sadness.
“Whatever, let’s get moving,” Sokka suggested, handing everyone flyers. “We can split up to cover more ground.”
“It’s best to cover each ring, too,” Kirishima said.
The Gaang ended up taking the Middle Ring. Honenuki, Bakugo, Todoroki, and Shiozaki worked on the Upper Ring, while Kirishima, Tetsutetsu, Kaminari, and Tsuburaba took the Lower Ring.
“We can split up further in pairs,” Kirishima suggested. Kaminari teamed up with Tetsutetsu, while Kirishima and Tsuburaba worked together.
“I wonder if anyone has actually seen Appa,” Tsuburaba said out loud, gluing another poster onto the wall.
“Yeah,” Kirishima hummed next to him. “He’d be hard to miss if he was here, but otherwise-”
“I know,” Tsuburaba cut in. He stepped back to look over the wall they were covering. “That’s probably good for this one. Let’s move to a different area.”
He started to round the corner, only to bump into someone.
“Sorry,” he hastily apologized. He had run into a small girl with short hair held back by a headband. The boy accompanying her was a bit taller and wearing a wide brimmed hat.
Tsuburaba stepped back a few steps just as Kirishima walked up beside him. The girl looked awestruck.
“I can’t believe it,” she exclaimed. “I recognize those eyes from the wanted posters. You’re Airiccade from the Heroes.”
“Our cover’s been blown, Kirishima,” Tsuburaba whisper shouted. “Let’s bail.”
“No, wait,” the girl called back. “We’re on your side. That’s why we’re refugees, after all.”
The two heroes in training paused. “Okay, then,” Kirishima said. “Nice to meet ya.”
“It’s an honor,” the girl said eagerly. “I’m Smellerbee, and that’s Longshot.”
“You know Airiccade, and his real name’s Tsuburaba,” Kirishima introduced. “I’m Red Riot. Real name’s Kirishima.”
“So, what are you doing in Ba Sing Se?” Smellerbee asked. “I thought you were all traveling with the Avatar.” She and Longshot exchanged glances. “Oh, does this mean that the Avatar is in Ba Sing Se, too?”
It was Kirishima and Tsuburaba’s turn to exchange glances. “You’re right,” Tsuburaba said after a moment. “Would you have happened to have seen a flying bison around?”
Smellerbee shook her head. “We’re looking for someone, too.”
“Who?”
“Our leader, Jet. He got in trouble with the Dai Li a few weeks ago, and we haven’t seen him since.”
Kirishima took in a sharp breath of air. “Everything here is corrupt. Maybe you’d have more luck searching for him in the Upper Ring.”
“But we’re refugees,” Smellerbee protested. “We’ll never get in there.”
“Maybe, but now you’re friends with heroes!” Tsuburaba grinned cheekily. “You go on; I’ll get Tetsutetsu and Kaminari and we’ll catch up.”
Tsuburaba broke away from them as Kirishima led Smellerbee and Longshot to the gate. Smellerbee seemed very eager to talk.
“You’re actually an inspiration for the Freedom Fighters. You get results without any carnage. That’s awesome!”
“Comes with the profession,” Kirishima shrugged, leading them through the gate into the Middle Ring.
“We used to live by Gaipan,” Smellerbee continued. “Do you remember that place?”
Kirishima thought for a minute. “Yeah, that was pretty early on. But I remember it.”
“It's awesome to meet you in person. Though, I’ve got to ask: are there actually firebenders in your group?” Smellerbee pressed.
Kirishima chuckled uneasily. “Wasn’t this common knowledge by now?” He saw a slight scowl on her face. “Before you say anything, no, we’re not double agents or something. There are some firebenders who don’t like the Fire Nation. Sure, Bakugo’s a bit temperamental and Todoroki’s a bit standoffish, but we’re all good people.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Smellerbee said dryly.
They turned the corner, and Kirishima spotted Aang’s bald head. The whole Gaang was there, along with one person he didn’t recognize. Smellerbee, however, did.
“Jet!” She called out, running to the taller boy and pulling him into a hug.
Katara glared at Jet. “I thought you didn’t have your gang anymore.”
“I don’t,” he shot back, looking confused.
“You were arrested by the Dai Li a few weeks ago,” Smellerbee implored, worry in her voice.
“The Dai Li!” Katara exclaimed.
“That’s what she told me and Tsuburaba, as well,” Kirishima cut in.
“Why would the Dai Li arrest me?” Jet protested, backing away. “I’ve been living peacefully in the city.”
Toph put her hand on the ground between Smellerbee and Jet. “This doesn’t make any sense. They’re both telling the truth.”
“That’s not possible,” Katara shook her head.
“Yes, it is,” Sokka came to realization. “Toph can’t tell who’s lying because they both think they’re telling the truth. Jet’s been brainwashed!”
“This is crazy,” Jet back away again, glancing to the sides.
Kirishima came a bit closer, putting his hand on Jet’s shoulder. The boy instinctively swung out, only to be met with hardened skin.
“Look, calm down,” Kirishima told him. “We just need to get to the bottom of this.”
Jet looked at him, then at the rest of the group. “Fine,” he finally relented.
~~~
“The Dai Li must have sent Jet to mislead us, and that janitor was part of their plot, too,” Katara concluded.
“Then it’s a good thing we’re hiding out here,” Kirishima said, looking at the abandoned Middle Ring building they took refuge in.
Tetsutetsu nodded. “Good thing Tsuburaba and Kaminari went to get the others in the Upper Ring, too. Advantage in numbers. We can’t afford to be picked off now.”
“I bet they’re hiding Appa here in the city,” Aang said. “Maybe Jet knows.”
“I still don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jet protested from the stool he was sitting on.
“A memory blockage, huh?” Tetsutetsu muttered, holding his chin. “How are we going to work around that?”
“Shit, they don’t teach anything like at UA,” Kirishima muttered under his breath.
“Maybe try something from your past,” Toph suggested. “Something that triggers your emotions.”
“The Fire Nation,” Smellerbee piped up. “Remember what they did to your family.”
“Close your eyes,” Katara said. “Picture it.”
Jet did as he was told. A few seconds later, his eyes flew open and he bent forward, sweat pooling from his forehead. “It’s too painful.”
Tetsutetsu and Kirishima exchanged pained glances, seeing Longshot and Smellerbee look down in sympathy.
Katara came around to the back, drawing in water and placing it against Jet’s temples. “Maybe this will help.”
This time, Jet sat still for longer, focusing. He opened his eyes slowly. “They took me to their secret headquarters under the water.”
“Hang on,” Sokka cut in, “remember what Joo Dee said? She said she went on vacation to Lake Laogai.”
“That’s it,” Jet got to his feet. “Lake Laogai.”
Kirishima pulled out the map he was hanging on to. “Here, it’s in between the Inner and Outer Walls. Most likely has a secret passageway of sorts.”
There was a sudden knock at the door.
“It might be the others,” Tetsutetsu remarked.
“How can we know for sure?” Smellerbee asked, drawing a knife.
“Code question,” Tetsutetsu answered, approaching the door. “How many students failed the Teacher-Student Final?”
Todoroki’s voice answered. “Six; five from A, one from B.”
Satisfied, Tetsutetsu opened the door, revealing Todoroki at the front of the group. Jet instantly leapt forward, picking up one of his hooked swords and pointing it at Todoroki.
“Jet!” Katara yelled angrily.
“What’s the big idea, Cowboy Bebop?” Bakugo growled, poking his head out from behind Todoroki.
“He’s Fire Nation! I know he’s a spy.”
Todoroki blinked, unphased by the threat. “I believe you have mistaken me for Zu-”
“We fucking get it, Icy Hot!”
“Jet,” Aang said sternly. “I have been working with Todoroki and the other firebenders in their group for months. They’ve saved our lives multiple times. I can fully vouch for them.”
“You said you've changed,” Katara glared at him. “Now’s the time to prove it.”
Jet glowered at Todoroki, eyes shifting between Aang, Katara, and Smellerbee. Finally, he lowered his sword.
“Have it your way, but I’m not letting them out of my sight.”
~~~
Jet lead them through the cavern. Everyone had their weapons drawn. “It’s all starting to come back to me,” he muttered, glancing around the lantern lit walls.
“It’s so creepy,” Tsuburaba whispered.
“Tone fits the setting,” Honenuki replied.
They walked past a room with an ajar door. Inside, they saw a Dai Li agent standing in front of a group of women.
“I’m Joo Dee,” the agent said. “Welcome to Ba Sing Se.”
“I’m Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se,” the women parroted back.
Kaminari shivered. “So, this is what mass brainwashing looks like? I can see the evil connotation now.”
“What do you mean?” Sokka asked. “How is brainwashing ever not evil?”
Kaminari looked down at his feet. “I’m not sure if you remember, but maybe you heard me talking to that little boy back in Caishi.”
Aang thought for a moment. “You said something about how an ‘evil power’ doesn’t make a person evil. I thought you were just talking about yourself and your firebending.”
Kaminari shook his head. “I have a friend back home. He does brainwash people, but he’s still going to be a great Hero. People always assumed he’d be more cut out for being a villain with his power. I only ever knew him as a hero, so that’s what I could see. But now, this other side is clear to me, as well.”
“Quiet,” Jet whispered as they approached a door. “I think they might have a cell big enough to hold Appa up ahead. It should be through here.”
They walked through, single file. Shiozaki was the last one through, but the door slammed shut behind her. The group jumped in unison at the loud sound, only for their vision to be filled with Dai Li agents leaping from the ceiling. The lights turned on, revealing Long Feng standing in the middle of the room.
“You have made yourselves enemies of the state. Take them into custody.”
The Dai Li agents in the front of the group shot out their rock gloves. Toph stepped forward in return, smashing them to bits.
“Everyone, close your eyes!” Bakugo yelled, running in front of her. The Dai Li agents prepared to capture him, but he put his hands out, sparks flying.
“Stun Grenade!” The others could feel thin beams of light seeping in through their eyelids, and the pained yells of the Dai Li agents reached their ears.
“What was that?” Katara yelled.
“One of his special moves,” Todoroki explained, cracking one of his eyes open. “A smaller blast more focused on producing light than heat. Has the effect of a flash bomb.”
The agents, having not been prepared, were temporarily blinded by the light. “Let’s take them out while we can!” Tetsutetsu cried out, coating himself in metal. He punched the nearest one in the stomach, sending him flying.
The Dai Li agents began to recover and send out more attacks. One of the gloves secured a hold on Honenuki’s shirt, but he softened it instantly. Tsuburaba then encased that agent in a box of air.
Todoroki countered a glove with a wall of ice. Katara converted that ice into water, using it as a whip against two of the agents. Toph in turn protected them from an array of gloves using a massive earth wall.
Longshot sniped down a glove headed for Kaminari with an arrow. The boy grinned cheekily in gratitude. He ran behind an agent trying to capture Jet, shocking him on contact. Jet did not have the same look of gratitude.
Shiozaki and Kirishima worked in tandem, with Kirishima taking out Dai Li agents with his hardening, ducking behind Shiozaki’s vines for defense. Smellerbee and Sokka worked together on slicing through gloves, while Aang blew the agents back with his bending.
Bakugo sent a blast at one of the agents, knocking him into his companions. Tsuburaba trapped all of them together. Toph evaded several agents at once by creating a giant stone pillar to escape them.
In the commotion, Long Feng ducked out of an exit on the other end of the room. Aang and Jet noticed, and took off in pursuit. The others kept fending off the agents.
“I’m going after them!” Honenuki yelled to Todoroki, who nodded in understanding.
“We’ll hold the rest of them off. Go back them up.”
Honenuki dashed out the door, dodging a stray glove. The door took him to a long corridor filled with pipes and water surrounding the walkway. At the end of the curved passageway was another slab of stone. Honenuki ran straight through it, softening it as he moved.
~~~
“Jet, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai.”
“I am honored to accept his invitation.”
Aang dodged around another of Jet’s sword strikes, desperately calling out to him, but the brainwashed swordsman couldn’t hear his pleas. Long Feng blocked the entrance they came through, observing the match.
“You don’t have to do this!” Aang called. Jet stood between him and Long Feng, breathing heavily.
“I’m afraid he no longer has a choice,” Long Feng replied coolly, his eyes shifting to the side. Suddenly, he sidestepped, moving away from the stone blocking the entranceway. Aang and Jet noticed, too, seeing the stone turn into mud. A moment later, Honenuki pushed his way into the room, shaking his head to dispel the mud.
Jet changed his target, turning his back on Aang to take care of the new intruder. Aang tried to call out a warning, but he opened his mouth far too late. Honenuki’s eyes widened in shock before one of Jet’s swords slashed down the right side of his face.
There was a soft, strangled cry as Honenuki stumbled back, hands reaching up to his eye. Jet’s blade softened and melted away the instant it made contact, but the damage was done.
Aang felt a fierce frustration and anger, directing it into an air blast. He pushed Jet away to prevent a second attack. His feet felt like lead as he made his way to Honenuki.
“I’m okay I’m okay I’m okay I’m-” Aang didn’t need Toph’s siesmic sense to know it was a lie. There was so much blood, seeping in between Honeuki’s fingers and mixing with his tears.
Jet got to his feet, still brainwashed. He glared them down, preparing to attack with his remaining sword. “Jet, stop!” Aang yelled, reaching a breaking point. “Don’t let Long Feng do this to you. You’re a Freedom Fighter.”
At this, a shocked expression came over Jet’s face, eyes returning to normal seconds later. He took in the scene before him, gaze settling on Honenuki. His mouth dropped open upon seeing what he had done.
“Do it! Do it now!” Long Feng demanded from the other end of the room. Jet’s shoulders shook in anger. He turned around with a yell, flinging his sword across the room. Long Feng stepped to the side, sending his own attack. The wall of earth was closing in too fast. Jet wouldn’t have time to dodge.
The wall suddenly fell flat, mud particles springing up as the now liquid stone made contact with the ground. A look of startled disgust came over Long Feng’s face. Honenuki was glaring daggers with his unobscured eye from across the room, the stone beneath his feet now a thin layer of mud.
Aang felt something wet connect with his shoulder, and a glance upwards notified him that the ceiling had also become soft. Honenuki’s Quirk was affecting the whole room, and he was trying to trap Long Feng. The ground around the Dai Li leader was practically swallowing him, acting like quicksand. Long Feng tried to counteract it by summoning a pillar into the air, but it had no effect. The Softening reverted any stone into quicksand faster than Long Feng could hope to create it.
Finally, he relented, letting himself sink beneath the surface. This, however, only made Honenuki more frustrated.
“He slipped away- damn it- tunneled through- useless.” His breath came in short, pained gasps. He was struggling to stay on his feet, both hands still desperately clawing at his right eye.
“I-I’m sorry,” Jet whispered out, coming closer. He knew just how futile those words were.
“Not your fault my fault.” Honenuki’s sentences were starting to meld together.
“Charging in no helmet stupid rookie mistake-”
“Honenuki!” Aang looked back at the entrance way they came through, seeing the others running towards them. Tetsutetsu was at the front of the group, and he looked uncharacteristically frightened.
Honenuki swayed on his feet, almost falling. Tetsutetsu quickly moved under his shoulder, turning himself into a support. “Honenuki, what happ-” Tetsutetsu’s voice died in his throat when he caught a glimpse of his friend’s face.
“Stupid- so stupid,” Honenuki muttered between chocked sobs, leaning against Tetsutetsu. Katara stepped forward, pulling some water out of her pouch. She coated her hands in the liquid, gently trying to pry Honenuki’s fingers away from his face. He relented, but couldn’t quell the whimper in his throat.
The injury looked far worse underneath. Aang couldn’t bear to watch, sharply looking away as Katara began healing it.
“It’s- it’s not going to be enough,” she said in a whisper, voice wavering. “There’s too much damage. I-”
“Go,” Tsuburaba said sharply. Aang looked up in shock at the tone of his voice. Tsuburaba had removed his jacket and was in the process of tearing up the hem with shaking fingers.
“But-”
“Find Appa,” Shiozaki cut Katara off. “We’ll take care of him.”
“Class B sticks together,” Tetsutetsu growled. “Now go.”
The rest of the group exchanged forlorn glances before following their request. On the way out the other door, Jet picked up his one remaining sword, looking at the hilt in sorrow.
“The ground’s so sticky,” Smellerbee observed as they ran down the hall.
“It’s because of Honenuki,” Aang explained. “I didn’t know it would spread this far.”
After a minute of trekking, the ground resolidified, turning into rock once more.
“Good idea, Toph,” Sokka said. Toph shook her head.
“That wasn’t me.”
“Honenuki’s Softening becomes undone the moment he loses consciousness,” Todoroki informed them, unable to mask the tremor in his voice.
Silence followed as the group processed his words. “Is he-” Toph started to ask, uncharacteristically timid.
“Honenuki’s tough as a bag of bricks,” Bakugo growled, running in the front. “He’s not going down from that.”
“There’s a cell up ahead,” Aang called from beside him. They peeked inside. There were six shackles on the ground and traces of fur.
“Long Feng beat us here,” Katara said in frustration.
“If we keep moving, we can still catch up to him,” Sokka called, waving for the group to keep moving.
The group soon located an exit. Toph blasted it open with earthbending. They leapt out across the water. As they moved away, Dai Li agents began to follow. Longshot tried to deter them with arrows, but he couldn’t whittle down their numbers enough.
“Can we outrun them?” Sokka asked Aang.
“I don’t think it’s going to matter,” Aang called back, pointing ahead. Long Feng and other Dai Li agents stood before them, creating a wall of rock. The agents behind them did the same, surrounding them.
“Time to blast these extras to hell!” Bakugo yelled, hands already crackling. Todoroki stood with his left arm outstretched, ready to send out flames. Kaminari glowed with electricity, and Kirishima’s skin was hardened. The others also stood ready.
Momo suddenly flew to Aang’s shoulder. “What is it?” The boy asked his lemur. Momo chirped again and took off over the wall.
A rumbling roar filled the air, and a flying bison descended from the sky.
“Appa!”
Appa crashed through the far wall, then flew into the second one, sending the Dai Li agents tumbling into the lake. Long Feng was picked up in the bison’s mouth and flung outwards like a skipping stone.
Cheers filled the air as the group approached the bison, Aang flinging himself onto his head.
“I missed you, buddy.”