The moon hung high over the streets of Ba Sing Se, covering the rooftops of the upper ring in an eerie light. A black clad figure nimbly leapt from rooftop to rooftop, stopping every few minutes to catch his breath. Attached at his hip was a long sheath that held a single sword, or at least that was what it was meant to look like. In reality, there were two blades split at the hilt both dangerous in the hands of a skilled swordsman.

Zuko smiled inwardly. He felt at peace jumping from building to building like a shadow in the night sky. It was one of the few times where the pressures of his life left him and he felt like he could do anything. Well the high that he got from the thrill-seeking adventures as the blue spirit only last for a short while. Then everything came back like a rushing river.

The events of the last few days haunted him. Nightmares made sleep a distant memory, and invisible voices plagued him during the day. "No...I can't let the guilt distract me...at least not for the moment...I have to stay focused or I won't get a chance to even think of making up for what I did..." Zuko thought to himself.

Pushing his emotions aside he saw he was nearing his destination. Towering overhead was the great wall of Ba Sing Se, standing tall and proud in the night sky, as if daring someone to attack. Of course these thickheaded earthbenders couldn't stop Azula from taking over...they think the Fire Nation is only capable of hammering away at the walls(although that was how they through the first and second time, however both were done intelligently). As a matter of fact...Zuko continued, had Lu Ten not died, then there would be no way Ba Sing Se would still be standing. I'm letting my thoughts drift. I'd better focus" Zuko finally resolved.

Silently running on the earthen shingles Zuko saw the gate. Surprisingly enough there were only two guards standing watch that he could see. "There must be more of them prowling around. I wouldn't put it past these pig-headed fools to think that just because they run around at night wearing black that they are invisible" Zuko thought, remembering the dozens of Dai Li patrols he had managed to evade, and the few(who, surprisingly enough able to trail him for a while) he led in circles until they were completely lost, and in their own city no less!

Zuko came to a stop accessing the situation. Along with the two guards he saw a person in black robes, obviously one of Azula's puppets standing above the guards in shadow. "Well I guess I see who's going down first. The question is how do I get up there quietly? A simple blow to the back of the head is usually enough to deal with these fools" Zuko smirked remembering the numerous occasions he had run into the Dai Li as the blue spirit. "Maybe it's time to give them a little surprise."

Zuko began to scale the wall with a simple rope and hook. After a few minutes of strenuous climbing he reached the top, and immediately ducked for cover behind one of the many crates that lined the top of the wall. The Dai Li patrol slowly walked past completely oblivious to his presence. No sooner had he walked by than Zuko jumped out, covered the startled man's mouth with his hand, and delivered a hard blow where the man's neck met his shoulder.

"Well that was easy enough...now to get what I came for..." Earlier in the week someone had turned in something that was very valuable to Zuko. The mask he had dropped in Lake Laogai, was apparently found by some peasant, who tried to turn it in for a reward. As if. Did the imbecile really think that they could get the reward just by turning in my mask? And I thought earth kingdom peasants were stupid before...

After following the wall for another ten minutes, Zuko saw the guard post that the mask was supposedly turned into.

"You could have just got another mask, instead of risking your life for this one..." a voice in his head pointed out

"No...even if I had found a mask like the other one...it could never replace it. That mask has too many memories to just replace"

Zuko knew that he was being followed. He had spotted at least three Dai Li in the shadows, who were sluggishly following him. So this is a trap...heh apparently my reputation precedes me in the earth kingdom as well as it does in the Fire Nation. So what should my next course of action be? Why, spring the trap of course. After all they put so much of their dim-witted brain power into this little plan, it would be a shame to let them down, Zuko thought as he smirked evilly.

Reaching a door Zuko moved into plain sight, the moon light drenching his black clothing. His hand moved to the door knob. Locked, why does that surprise me? Well I suppose even these fools have some common sense. Out of his sleeve Zuko revealed a small pick., which he inserted into the the keyhole. Within seconds the door clicked and Zuko pulled it open. As he was about to enter he stopped and although he couldn't place it, Zuko felt something was wrong. There was an odd smell throughout the room but he couldn't place what it was. Then he saw it under the moon's light.

A tripwire

He peeked his head into the room trying to feign looking for any earth kingdom soldiers, however he was really just trying to see where the tripwire led. His eyes followed the wire until he saw what he came for. Sitting on top of a shelf with its toothy grin was his mask illuminated by a small flickering lamp. He then realized what the tripwire was for. When he walked through it, it was supposed to bring the shelf down, with the candle, onto the floor. The strange odor he had smelled before was most likely kerosene, or some other very flammable liquid. He grinned underneath his mask. Fire is my birthright , while it can harm me(Zuko unconsciously touched his marred face) I am still its master. Lets show this ingrates how powerful the blue spirit really is! Zuko unsheathed his dao and with a flick of his wrist he cut the wire. He caught his mask and waited. He saw it happen in slow motion. When the lamp finally hit the ground, there was a second time froze.

And then it happened.

The room burst into flame and three Dai Li burst in like the vultures they were, ready to feast upon him. The look on their faces was priceless. It was a mix of shock and utter horror. There stood the blue spirit his dao ready to strike, staring at them with his trademark grin, and the flames just danced around him. They didn't even see it coming. Within two of the three earthbenders were on the ground, while the third one was held in the blue spirit's iron grip staring down into the place where his eyes should have been, a look of sheer terror on his face.

"P-please! Don't kill me!" The man begged. The blue spirit merely laughed. It was not Zuko's laugh. It was the laugh of someone who had lost all sanity.

Making his voice sound extremely raspy and low Zuko spoke"Tell them. All of them. Tell your friends, your allys, your family, and everyone else...the blue spirit has returned!" And with that Zuko threw the man into the nearby wall and escaped into the shadows. Dawn was coming. And even if the blue spirit didn't...Zuko rose with the sun.