I do not own the characters of Avatar the last airbender.

Chapter 1

It had been almost a month now since the attack on the fire nation. The group had not gotten word from any of the parents who were taken captive, this left the group extremely melancholy. Hardly anyone spoke at all, Aang stayed seperated from group converstation, still taking all the blame for the failure to take down firelord Ozai. Katara tried to cheer him up with no prevail. Sokka & Toph seemed unusually quiet as well. Haru, Teo & pipsqueak suffered the same depression. They had all been living in the western air temple, because it was possibly the only safe place at the moment. Though none of their imprisoned comrades had arrived Zuko surprisingly had.

Zuko, sat by the campfire quietly, as usual everyone was reluctant to talk to him or sit near him. What could he expect though, after all he put them through. He thought about the past few weeks. When he'd arrived he wasn't sure how the Avatar would react to his request. At first he was attacked by the group, though it was hardly an attack at all. He could tell that everyone was tired & weaker than usual, from the invasion. After he convinced them he meant no harm, he did his best to show them he was on their side & that he wanted to join them. After his persuasive attempt, the four kid's (who he'd since, learned had proper names) went into a long whispery debate. To which the Avatar approached him finally & said it would be ok for him to travel with them. Since then he could see why the arguement had taken so long. The water bender.

He could stand that everyone kept their distance, he could stand that no one really wanted to talk to him, he could even stand the bison accidentally whacking him around with it's gigantic tail. What he could not stand though was the dirty looks from the waterbender. In school as a boy he'd learned that water bendering masters had incredible power, & that they were something to be feared. Since most of the water tribes had been wiped out he never thought he'd actually ever meet a water bending master. When Katara practiced her bending he noticed she was sharp, precise, fluid & feirce. He knew if he stepped one foot out of line he would have one hell of a battle on his hands.

All dirty looks & tail whacks aside, Zuko found himself happy. He felt at peace now that he was doing what is right. He finally felt freedom from the terrible burden of being the prince of a dark nation. However his mind did keep going back to a few things, his uncle, his mother who he found out was possibly alive, & the one thing he regreted most, not telling Mai.

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The guards at the front said for her to meet Azula at the prisoners cells, Mai walked quickly through the halls of the firelords castle. After the night of the invasion no one knew where Zuko was. Mai had not been able to think clearly, could he have been, hurt, taken, killed? No?

His last words to her had been after the war meeting, he'd been confused, she wasn't very helpful, she knew that. What did that matter though? Now he's gone. Maybe they found him, she thought to her self.

Azula sent a messanger to her etstate saying to meet her at the castle & that she had news about Zuko. She was puzzled when the guards told her to go to the prison. What information about Zuko was there. At the entrance of the prison two guards nodded at Mai & allowed her through. She went down the steps rapidly, almost at the bottom she stopped & took a deep breath, composing her self. She knew if she looked at all worried or sad Azula would tease her endlessly, besides she didn't want anyone to see her more emotional side. Finishing the last few steps, she turned a corner to see Dai li agents scattered all around. This was not unusual, since Azula had been to Ba zing se, the Dai li agents were her new favorite toys. Azula stood there looking up at her as well as Ty lee. Mai nodded hello to both, she noticed however that Ty lee was avoiding her gaze.

"It's about time Mai, I would think for news about my brother you would have come here quicker." Azula said sharply.

"Sorry I took so long." Mai replied. "What news do you have?"

"I'm afraid its bad news." Azula smiled. Mai felt her regained compser slipping. Azula continued.

"On the night of the invasion as you know Zuko went missing." The anticipation was killing her, what had happened.

"Well, I spoke with my father & found out that Zuko paid him a visit on that same night. Do you know what he did Mai?" Azula asked with false sweetness. Mai silently shook her head no.

"Well," Azula went on, "He attacked him, & after attacking him, he told him that he was leaving to join the Avatar."

Mai felt tears welling up in her eyes. She looked at the ground in hopes that no one would see the tears.

Too many things came all at once, to Mai. First Zuko was alive, also Azula has known all along what happened to Zuko, & that Azula instead of being an upset sister or a caring friend, would do whatever it took to get any information out of her, which she had none. Then she realized she didn't know anything! Why didn't Zuko ask her to come with him, or tell her, or even say goodbye. He left her, without even telling her, & all this time she had done nothing but wait worried for him. Her saddness was turning into confusion & Anger.

"Are you sure, you knew nothing about this Mai?" Azula asked. As Mai looked up at Azula she forced her face to return to it's normal expression, she couldn't control a tear from falling down her cheek.

"No" Mai said clenching her teeth to control her rising anger.

"Well thats too bad," Azula sounded slightly taken back, returning to normal she continued. "Dai li, arrest Mai."

"What?!?!" Mai raised her voice. "I told you I know nothing!" The Dai li began approaching her.

"It doesn't matter, I have a special reason I'm keeping you as a prisoner" Azula's malicious smile spread across her face.

As the Dai li closed in Mai began panicing, there was no point fighting, she knew she as no match for a team of earth benders let alone Azula & Ty lee, she then looked frantically at the unusually quiet Ty lee. "Ty lee, what is going on? I though I was your friend?" Mai was now shouting.

Still without looking at Mai, Ty lee stated simply "I'm sorry Mai." Dai li gloves shot out grabbing her arms & hands. She was being pulled towards a cell.

Azula smiled to herself as Mai was thrown in the cell. She could hardly suppress a chuckle as a wall made of rock rose to close Mai in. Mai shouting protests all the way. "Ty lee go now." Azula commanded. Ty lee sullenly turned & left. Her ingenious plan would be set in motion. She knew how proud her father would be when she brought Zuko to him & possibly the Avatar.