37 Reek

The Earth Kingdom soldier had come back today. With him, 2 more crates of food. It was more than welcome. Miro was finally building up his gang. The time I had been around, it was never this busy. We were just a small haven of people willing to fight for food. There may have been more of us back then, but we were nowhere near as active. Now, working for the Earth Kingdom, we actually had a purpose. Most of us were plenty fine with it. Fight the Fire Nation in exchange for a way out of this city.

Miro had gathered us around. Said that the Earth Kingdom needed to tell us something. So we did.

The Earth Kingdom soldier was a gruff man. Tall and well built with plenty of facial hair. He wasn't in uniform, but we could recognize him as the soldier who always came here whether for drop offs or pick ups. He stood on a small earthen stage within the sewers where some ground had broken through. "As you all know, we have made a lot of progress over the last 2 weeks. The Fire Nation is starting to become nervous. Asking about missing food and supplies. They think it might be rats."

The comment earned a chuckle and a laugh from the audience. It had been a long 2 weeks. What started as simple thievery has become grater than that. Stealing from unattended carts in the middle of the street and even some weapons from the wall while soldiers weren't patrolling. We've been careful. Haven't been caught yet and don't plan to.

"The Earth Kingdom has become aware of you too. We have all heard of the danger that Ba Sing Se is in, but they still remain aware of our success and the role we play in the Earth Kingdom's defenses." Another cheer and some whoops from the audience. "The Earth Kingdom is even considering making you an honorary branch of the Earth Kingdom special forces, but we can't just call you Miro's gang. We need a name for you." He turned to Miro who was seated in the crowd. He wasn't the speaker today, but just one of us. He didn't seem to mind though. "Miro?" The man asked.

Miro stood up and turned around to see the lot of us and make his words heard. "The Fire Nation says its rats that are stealing from them. Says that its rats sabotaging their buildings. Says its rats that are the root of all problems in Citadel. They're right. It will be rats who continue to fight them. It will be rats who make they're lives hell and it will be rats who drive them out of our city! We are Rats!"

And the room erupted in a chant. "Rats! Rats! Rats!" We finally had a name. We finally had an image. "Rats! Rats! Rats!" And I never felt more at home.