Y/N finally got to relax, to a certain point. The search for Appa in Ba Sing Se began the next day, from a house they were given as a gift for defending the city. 

          There had been one little crisis, actually two, one was Joo Dee, and the other, Sokka's drawings. 

          Y/N had nearly punched the stupid woman in the face, sick of her voice and stupid smile. Sokka barely held her back, but Joo Dee barely even reacted, just looking at her with a wide smile and a "good day".

          Katara gently tried telling Sokka that they already had other posters, while Y/N rolled on the ground laughing at the blobs her brother had drawn. 

          "What's so funny??" Sokka demanded as Y/N recovered, trying to breath.

          "Nothing. I love you, Sokka, know that?" She asked, and Toph snorted at Sokka's confused mumbling.

          "Alright. Let's split up." Aang said, handing a pile of posters to everyone. "Toph can go with Sokka." They all walked out into the street, Sokka putting up a few posters on a nearby wall.

          "Why can't I go alone?" Toph huffed. "You think I can't put up posters because I'm blind?" She grabbed the glue from Sokka, swiping some across the wall and slamming a poster onto it, the ink side stuck on the wall. Everyone was quiet for a few moments. "It's upside down, isn't it?" Still no response. "I'll go with Sokka." She said, defeated.

          Y/N felt uncomfortable from the weird looks she got from people as she walked far from the group, hanging posters along the way, but she soon got used to it, and ignored them. 

          Despite its many flaws, Ba Sing Se was beautiful, and bustling with people. She enjoyed walking the market and glancing into different shops, asking around for anyone who had seen Appa. All politely said no, but a few continued to have pleasant conversation with Y/N for several minutes. 

          "Hey there, you look familiar." Y/N turned around from putting up a poster to see a guy about her age watching her. He had strong features, and ruffled medium brown hair. His clothing stuck out more, not fitting the more formal style of the people in this part of Ba Sing Se, and he held a long blade of grass between his teeth. Two strange hook-shaped blades were strapped across his back.

          "Wish I could say the same, sorry." Y/N apologized, deciding she had no clue who the guy was, but he seemed nice enough.

          "That looks like the Avatar's bison, there." He pointed at the posters, and Y/N's eyes lit up. 

          "That's right! Have you seen him? Do you know the Avatar?" Maybe this guy could help them. Her spirits fell when he shook his head.

          "I haven't seen him recently, if that's what's you mean. It's been weeks, saw him flying overhead." He shrugged, and Y/N nodded.

          "Ah, that's okay. I'm just helping search, since he was stolen recently, we have reason to believe he was brought here." She said, holding the few posters she had left. "Oh, sorry! I completely forgot about introductions! I'm Y/N!" She smiled, walking with the guy down the busy street.

          "Name's Jet. Sorry for interrupting you, you just look really familiar for some reason." He scratched the back of his head, looking Y/N up and down. "It's just weird that I can't place where I've seen you."

          "Maybe I just look like someone you met." She suggested, hanging up her last poster. "I've never seen you before, though, I'm sure of that." 

          "Saying you've never met anyone like me?" Jet asked, leaning closer with a teasing smile on his face. Y/N rolled her eyes with a smile.

          "Not many people I've met talk with grass in their mouth." She commented, passing a restaurant and getting a whiff of the food. "Wow. You know how you don't know you're hungry for a food-"

          "-until you smell it? Lunch is on me." Jet said eagerly with a smile, grabbing her arm and pulling her in.

                             —|➖◾️➖|—

          "Man, I haven't eaten food like this for AWHILE." Y/N said happily, grabbing another dumpling with her chopsticks. 

          "When's the last time you've had it?" Jet asked, ordering another plate of noodles. They had been talking for awhile, starting off with just some small talk, but he was easy to talk to, and Y/N found the time flying.

          "Don't quite remember. Been traveling a lot, you know?" She said, tapping her chopsticks on her plate as she watched him eat. "Bet you have too, leading the Freedom Fighters and all."

          "I get that, yea." Jet chuckled. "Enough about your questions for me. Let's hear more from your story." Y/N nodded, looking at the various dishes on the table, debating which one to try next. They had been ordering plate by plate of various foods, eating slowly because of all the talking.

          "Well, I guess the beginning is as good a place as any." She chuckled. "I'm from the Southern Water tribe, my mother was also killed by the Fire Nation."

          "The Southern Water tribe, that's really far. Are you a waterbender?" He asked, suddenly looking more interested than before.

          "Yeah." Y/N paused for a moment, noticing the nervous look on Jet's face. "How did you know? Are you alright?"

          "Yeah, I'm okay..." He said after a pause. "I just think I know why I recognized you, now."

          "Oh?" Y/N asked. "And should I be worried? What did I do?"

          "No! It's okay, it wasn't you!" Jet laughed, poking at the tofu on his plate. "I had... uh... I had a run in with Katara, I believe she might be your sister." Y/N laughed, her tense shoulders relaxing. Jet relaxed more once he saw her reaction.

          "I can guarantee you that I've had more run ins with Katara than anyone else. Yes, I'm her sister. What happened exactly?"

          "She talked about you, a lot." Jet smiled warmly, thanking the waitress as she set down the last order. "...remember when I told you about my parents? The Fire Nation?"

          "Dodging the question makes me nervous, Jet." Y/N chuckled. "I just want to know what happened. As long as you aren't another hunter going after the Avatar-"

          "No! No, that's not it." He reassured her, waving a hand around. "I just, wanted revenge on Fire Nation... and took it too far. Again. I take everything too far. I want to stop, let go, and start life again, you know? I lived in hate for so long, but every time I try to leave that me behind, I see them, and I just feel the rage all over again."

          Y/N studied him closely, tapping her glass with her chopsticks.

          "If you want a straight answer, I tricked your sister and the Avatar into helping me flood a town. Sokka totally suspected me from the start." Jet admitted, not looking up to meet her eyes. 

          "Katara was furious, wasn't she?"

          "Does she get that mad that easily?"

          "Not like- furious furious, usually no. Did she like you?"

          "Like me?"

          "You know what I mean."

          "...?"

          "She likes the bad boy type." Y/N chuckled. "And hold grudges like no one I've ever seen. She's in town as well, but I doubt she'll want to see you."

          "You think I'm the bad boy type?" Jet leaned on the table a bit, his voice part flirty, part hurt. Y/N leaned in as well, a smirk on her face.

          "Well, if you were hard set on revenge at the time, I feel like you would've been. Are you? If you still are, you're putting up a rather nice facade, paying for the meal and everything." They both leaned back, laughing. Y/N took a sip of her tea. Jasmine. She missed Iroh and the way he made his.

          "I feel like I've known you for way longer than a few hours." Jet sighed contently as he finished his plate, the flirty tone gone.

          "Same here. Isn't it sad how so many of us have similar stories?" Y/N glanced out the window, eating her last dumpling.

          "Yeah. It really is." Jet stared at his plate, his voice quiet. "It sounds like you're traveling with the Avatar, right?" Y/N nodded. "Think you can change that for us? For the kids out there not born yet? Save them from what we feel?"

          Y/N smiled sadly, placing her hand on top of his to get his attention. 

          "I'll be perfectly honest with you, I don't know, but if it is at all possible, we will find a way to rid the world of this war." She promised. His soft brown eyes met hers, and he smiled back.

          "I'm gonna hold you to that, alright?" He asked, and she nodded, but her eyes widened for a second.

          "Wait-" She looked back outside, just registering what she had seen earlier. The sun was setting. "Mother of China we've been talking for like 7 hours!"

          "Shoot, I didn't even notice, sorry." Jet laughed, standing up. "I already paid. C'mon, I'll walk you home." 

          He jokingly offered an arm, and Y/N hooked hers through his with a chuckle. 

                             —|➖◾️➖|—

          The night was chilly, but still pleasant, and the street lamps of Ba Sing Se were just bright enough. The view of the sparkling city from the Upper Ring was dazzling with all the flickering lights. Y/N hummed a little as they walked.

             "You know, despite my mistrust and hate of firebenders overall..." Y/N commented, looking up at Jet. "And all the times they've hurt me, I've had the lucky opportunity to experience the good in that Nation."

          "Oh?" Jet smiled down at her, arms still linked. "Gotten to spend time with some or something?" She nodded.

          "I've gotten to know the worst, and some of the best." She lifted her chin, showing him the scar on her neck from Zhao. "And there are those people in every nation. I've been nearly killed by a firebender, but another has saved my life multiple times." 

          Jet only listened, cocking his head to one side curiously.

          "I guess what I'm trying to get at is... it makes me wonder what kind of waterbender on that scale I am, you know?" She bit her lip, thinking. "Am I going to focus on every idea and stereotype I'm used to, or will I be open, and understanding like the world needs?"

          "Maybe next time you see a firebender, and think about your family again..." Y/N giggled, looking up at him again. "Ask yourself, do I really want to be the worst kind of Earth Kingdom citizen, or the best?"

          "...thank you, Y/N." Jet said quietly, slowing as they came to her house.

          "For what?"

          "Everything."