Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, I don't own Avatar, Bryke rules, blah blah blah.

Authors note: As you may have read in the summary, this is going to be a LONG story spanning 10-20 chapters, maybe even longer, so don't expect a one-hit story. Maybe as long as one or two seasons of the actual show. There might also be a sequal, depending on how I feel after I'm done with this one. I hope you all enjoy it and give it a chance to blossom :).

The Ignition

Max awoke in his cell. It had been a great dream, a dream of his home. Or was it a memory? It had been so real…

He sat up on his steel bed and gazed passively towards the door. Any minute now the guard would soon be opening the door and force him to eat breakfast. A regular schedule is somewhat comforting amidst the misery that covers the prison like a blanket. Max refused at first, refused to have his hands and legs shackled to the wall, refused to eat and drink like an injured animal, refused to accept this existence, refused to believe he would never see the South Pole again... but as the months and years went by, Max's fiery will slowly diminished into embers. He simply doesn't care anymore. Max is unsure of why the Fire Nation is even keeping him alive. They've conquered Ba Sing Se, killed the avatar, and ruined any hope for balance ever returning to the world. It's only a matter of time before the Fire Nation destroys the Water Tribes to vanquish the avatar for good, no doubt using the comet to repeat their sins inflicted to the Air Nomads. Since they have control over the Earth Kingdom, the Earth avatar would be easy to locate… and so on. But what use is Max for the Fire Nation? Would he give them directions to the South Pole, or tell them how to splash in the water? None the less, they kept Max alive, and it is this burning truth that has kept his will alive as well.

The doors to Max's cell opened. A couple of faceless guards stepped in and readied the shackles. Max subconsciously stuck out his arms as they and his legs were chained.

"I don't even see the point of doing this every time," said the left guard with disgust, as he were being forced to eat feces, "I heard he was a horrible bender with his… kind."

"It's protocol, deal with it." said the right with tired irritation.

"Protocol? Really?" as he said this, the guard kicked Max across the room. He went over and kicked him again. "Water Tribe filth! Why don't you defend yourself, eh?" Max neither said nor did nothing. "See? Defenseless. Can you believe other savages like him trying to infect our nation? They all need to be exterminated!" The second guard sighed.

"You're making this take a lot longer than is necessary. Just feed him."

"Sure, okay." he said with sarcastic anger. The second guard stepped up to Max, but instead of feeding him, he threw the water on him. "Why don't you waterbend at me and teach me a lesson?" said the guard provocatively. Max still did nothing. "Pathtic…" the guard said as he threw the bowl of food against the wall. The second guard sighed again as he unchained Max. The guards left as Max sat with no emotion, no will, and no dignity…

After being forcibly fed and watered, the doors of Max's and others in his section opened for what the guards called "recess". Basically, "recess" is where a bunch convicts group together outside in a small area to inevitably cause trouble. The guards will wait enthusiastically for some kind of disruption, and if nothing happens they will cause it themselves. Anything to be able to put firebenders into the cooler.

But something was different this time. There was definitely an excited atmosphere replacing the angry one. As questions started to form in Max's head, they were prematurely answered by a "friend" of his, Huang Hsu.

"Max did you hear the news? Everyone is talking about it!"

"About what?" Max said uncaringly.

"The Fire Nation was invaded yesterday!" Huang said quickly. For the first time years, Max was completely surprised. His passive interest started to diminish.

"In-invaded? By who?"

"Some Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe troops, but that's not even the half of it!" Huang bent down low so a quiet voice could be heard, "The Avatar's alive!"

Being the second surprise after such a long time with none, Max would surely have a heart attack.

"Alive?!" Max looked around quickly, half expecting Water Tribe or Earth Kingdom troops to burst through the walls. "But… if they succeeded, wouldn't everything be in chaos right—"

"They were defeated." Huang continued solemnly, "The Avatar survived, but most of the invasion force was captured. There just weren't enough people or time, even when the eclipse hindered the army's firebending-" So that was why all of the guards put the prisoners into lockdown yesterday, Max thought. "-in fact, chances are that the prisoners of war will be sent here eventually, like you were." Max felt another ancient emotion- excitement. He felt beam hope returning with the prospect of seeing other Southern Water Tribe members, but he didn't let the beam get any bigger. Even if they came, there's really nothing more except a joy in companionship, and that will be drowned out by the misery of absent hope. The guards have said themselves that no one ever escapes the Boiling Rock.

And yet, Max felt different after the recess. The hope he's trying so hard to suppress is getting bigger, despite all of his mental efforts. The Avatar's alive! Surely that's a cause for hope! The fact is, no matter how low the flame got, the embers never stopped burning. Max's spirit is being fueled once again, more than it has ever been fueled before. What an amazing feeling, he thought. Anything could be accomplished…

Max awoke the next day. He looked around, not sure if the large clanging sound had been in his dream or if it was what woke him up. He strained to listen and eventually picked up the sound of footsteps. Immediately thinking that it's breakfast time, excitement flooded Max with the idea of getting back at the guards with his newfound vigor. As the sound of footsteps grew louder, Max waited, barely suppressing his excitement. But the footsteps kept on going... hurried in fact. Profound surprise and disappointment of unfulfilled revenge tempted Max to call them back, but he merely looked outside through the small caged window in his door. As he slowly looked around to where the guards were, someone's face suddenly appeared. Max took several steps back, startled, but realized as his heart slowed that it was Huang Hsu.

"Sorry Max, didn't mean to scare you." He said playfully. The funny thing is, fear is an emotion that Max hasn't felt for a long time, way before he was even kidnapped.

"What are you doing?!" Max hissed. Huang had always talked about escaping, but Max had never thought he would actually do it…

"Helping you out! I don't know about you, but I'm sick of this place." Max stared at him unbelievingly. Huang is full of sheer stupidity. Even if Huang does break him out, what then? Are they going to somehow run past all of the guards, walls, towers, locked steel doors, more guards, then magically cross the lake of boiling water surrounding the prison?

"Did it ever occur to you of how we're going to escape?" Max said after all these thoughts flashed through.

"Don't worry, I have everything planned out. I know exactly where all of the guards are at this time." Huang said this to reassure him, but Max's look told him it was a futile effort.

"So, do we suddenly have the ability to phase through steel doors now?" Max said to Huang as though he was a four-year-old.

"A guard is working for us! He's helping us escape! Any minute now, your door will ope-" Max's door suddenly opened. Huang grabbed his arm. "Come on! We have to hurry!"

"Wait a min- hold on a-" Max was trying to get words out but Huang was moving him to fast. As soon as they stopped Max grabbed him and turned him around. "What is going on?! Why is there a guard working for us? How do you know where to go? What are we going to do about the front gates? How are we going to get across the boiling lake?" Max said all of this rather fast.

"I don't have time to answer all those questions! Just do as I say!" And before Max could protest the contrary, Huang was dragging him through the chambers again. Neither Max nor Huang said anything for the rest of the way, except for occasional orders from Huang like "No, down these stairs!" or "To the left! The left!" At last, Max was embraced by the cool night air. "Against the wall and behind those stairs! Quickly!" As soon as they were securely hidden, Max decided to ask only one of his previous questions.

"What are we going to do about the lake?!" said Max, stressing the word lake.

"You're going to get us across using your waterbending!" Huang said as if Max was supposed to figure this out a long time ago. Max found himself once again staring at Huang with concentrated disbelief.

"Your stupidity is only surpassed by this plan! I've told you a thousand times, I can't waterbend!" Max almost shouted out the last word but kept his voice in control at the last minute.

"Yes you can! You just weren't good before! It's been along time… I think you can do it now if you try!"

"And what exactly put this thought into your head?" Max inquired, his voice slowly rising.

"I saw it in your eyes. You've gotten your hope and your vigor back. I mean, look at you! You're yelling at me when you've barely ever talked to me the whole time you've been here! I've waited for this and have planned this for a long time; it just all depended on when you decided to ignite your fire again."

"I… well… hmm…." Max was speechless.

Please be critical. I like compliments, but I can still go back and improve this thing. Point out any inconsitencies or any errors you find.