Zuko had lost his firebending. He puzzled over this new development, and what it meant about him, it was all he could do on this long bison ride to the Island of the Sun Warriors.

Mai had been having strange dreams. She walked about half awake, and felt warm, as if she had a fever. Of course the only people to notice besides Ty Lee and Azula were the servants. She tried to help Azula plan for the final battle, but she was so genuinely exhausted. She couldn't let on however, or Azula might get suspicious, and Mai hadn't even been planning anything treacherous, besides her resignation to her inner morals and the thought betrayals. She was almost thankful when Ty Lee read the tiredness in her aura, (which she still didn't believe in.. that much) and felt her forehead declaring her feverish and dragging her with Azula's permission to her home to put her to bed. Mai was almost thankful, until Ty Lee told the servants to not let her out of her room till she got better. Although Ty's chi massage was greatly appreciated. Mai found out later that Ty Lee didn't leave when she fell asleep. She instead sent a servant with a message to Azula letting her know that Ty Lee had decided to stay the day at Mai's bedside and help her get over this strange summer fever. Ty Lee told Azula it was probably just Mai getting sick from all her repressed emotions, knowing that Azula would get a smirk out of it, and be satisfied that Ty Lee was watching Mai closely and reporting to her. Mai had yet to discover that Ty Lee's puppy fire-tigerhawk alliance was as much for Mai's benefit as Ty Lee's own. If Ty Lee could control Azula's teasing and actions by siding with her then she would. Mai would witness this soon, but find out much later.

Azula had been suspicious of Mai's sickness, but she had a lingering trust in Ty Lee. She was impressed by Ty Lee's concern in her note, and how she had reported to Azula of Mai's condition, knowing that Azula's suspicion had been aroused. "She will make a fine war attendant yet." Azula thought out loud. She had nothing against the girl's effort in their journeys through the Earth Kingdom and their coup of Ba Sing Se, but there were times when Ty Lee's sensitive nature made Azula question her loyalty. Azula could only hope to be charismatic and fearsome enough to keep Ty Lee around, and that by proxy Mai would stay loyal as well. In the event of treacherous suspicion; however, they knew that Azula clearly had the upper hand and could blackmail or threaten either of their families to get them to serve her. Azula was sure of herself, but that didn't mean she wouldn't go to check if Mai's fever wasn't real later.

Sokka didn't know what to think about Aang journeying to some uncivilized island with Zuko. Katara and logic screamed "Its a trap! Its dangerous! He's going to tell his father and sister where we are and Aang is going to be captured." Yet Sokka, playing the fool, had been watching Zuko closely. He had never had a chance to observe Zuko before, but from what he had seen of him: hot-tempered, yelling, arrogant, desperate; he just didn't see those things in Zuko now. Sure Sokka had pushed Zuko's buttons to see if the Zuko he knew would come firebending through, but all he got was outbursts of frustration. Those were more or less normal from the things Sokka put him through, but who was Sokka to waste such a golden opportunity to poke fun at the enemy. Sokka told Katara, and logic, to be patient. "We have to trust that Aang knows what he is doing," he tried to reassure them, and himself.

'Think about our place in the universe! Why in the world would I suggest that? As if I don't do that enough I had to go and tell the Avatar to. Am I stupid?' Zuko berated himself. Of course it didn't help when Aang looked at him and sighed, "You just had to help up the golden egg thing." 'Stupid Avatar, stupid goo booby trap, stupid universe for putting me in a goo booby trap with the Avatar pondering our place in this universe which likes to make me miserable as much as Sokka does.'

Mai had a dream of the sun, but in this dream she stood on a hill and watched as the sun had a battle with a black and a blue dragon. They shot lightning out of their mouths and belittled him. They sounded awfully familiar. The black dragon had a deep, commanding voice. It's tone hurt just as much as the awful words. The black dragon rode a flaming meteor rock and sent a bolt of lightning at the upper left corner of the sun. The sun wasn't fighting back. Mai didn't know how the sun was supposed to fight back, but she knew that if it contained itself that the black dragon would descend to earth and destroy the very ground that she stood on. She could hear the smooth, cruel, young womanly voice of the blue dragon, declaring the greatness of the black dragon's destruction and promising that when the black dragon returned from his destructive journey on the meteor comet that she would take the throne in the sky, and to do it she would murder the sun. Fear gripped Mai's soul, she could voices. As she sat up, awake and panting, she saw Azula who asked, "Bad fever dream Mai?" and realized she was staring at the blue dragon.

After seeing that Mai was genuinely ill, and chatting with Ty Lee for as long as Azula considered ettiquette and friendship required; Azula decided to return to the palace. As she watched Mai she had been thinking of strategies for the war balloon fleet and had some ideas to present to her Father. Azula wanted to go down in history as a general in this final battle, but she knew she would have to earn her place.

Air Temples are boring, Sokka realized. Without Aang's peppy attitude or Zuko to make fun of Sokka and Toph were out of things to do. Katara kept herself busy cooking, cleaning, or waterbending which was probably for the best, otherwise she would go on nagging about them mistakenly trusting Zuko, which hadn't even been proven yet. Teo, Haru and the Duke kept exploring, so Sokka basically carried Toph around since as she said, "Zuko left, so now I can't get him to be my personal palanquin. You'll have to do. Oh, and by the way, make sure your conversation is more interesting that Sparky's, being carried around is boring when you can't see." Sokka resigned himself to her request. It was better than being hassled by his sister, and its not like he had anything better to do, but wait for their return.

Being judged by the Masters was a terrifying experience. Zuko felt like his soul and sins were utterly exposed, he felt their commanding presence more terribly than the firewall and fear of the throne room. When they opened their mouths he thought he was done for, they had judged his lineage and sins and declared him unworthy. He only hoped that they would spare the Avatar and that Aang could find Uncle to teach him, and that Mai would eventually forgive him. He would miss her. When the multi-colored flames enveloped him but didn't burn him he was amazed and transfixed. The fires were speaking to him, he was seeing visions like his fever dreams, but these were of dragons and firebenders in the times before the war. It was beautiful, and Zuko wanted the world to return to that vision. Those were happy times.

Mai had a dream that she was weeping for the sun. The dragons had left and the sun had been hurt. Mai wanted to help but she was too far away. All she could do is weep with the sun and sing the Song of Fire in the dragon tongue. Mai could only whistle the tune, she was too sad to sing the words. Ursa had secretly taught her the song. She sang it by a secluded fountain in a garden where Mai liked to hide from Azula. Ursa never knew that Mai was there that day, or how Mai had clung onto the words like a lifeline. Mai remembered the last time she sang this song. On the day she heard of Zuko's Agni Kai and banishment, when she overheard her servants and escaped out her window, running to the docks and singing it after Zuko's ship which was sailing into the rising sun. In her dream the sun nodded, and a sunbeam reached down to caress her cheek and wipe her tears. It was warm, but didn't burn and Mai was reminded of Zuko's soft yet firm caresses. Zuko, who she needed like the sun.

Father was impresses with her idea and sent Azula with a royal decree to make sure her idea was implemented by the Royal Air Fleet. Azula would pass the news on to a guard and the gossip would spread from there. Soon all the capital city would know of her greatness, contrasting with her brother's cowardice and failure. They would cherish her as heir and ruler. She would adamant and powerful. Thanks to her and her forefathers, the world would become what she wanted it to be.

When Zuko and Aang returned and showed off the new dance moves they had learned I couldn't help but laugh. I was worried that he was going to turn in Aang to his Father. All he did was pick up some new moves. The universe kept giving him comedy gold through Zuko. Sokka almost felt sorry for the guy, but opportunities like this are best not wasted on pity.