The guards found that Kai was a very complacent prisoner the second time around. She didn't fight when she was drug down to the brig, nor when they padded her down (something she would've normally slapped someone for), nor when they confiscated her weapons for the second time.
When they finally stuffed her back in her small cell, she found she didn't have the strength to even dream of escape. She stayed where she fell; sprawled out on the metal floor, staring up at the ceiling and just wondering. Wondering why this had to happen. Wondering why her life sucked.
She didn't have long to wonder. Prince Zuko stomped into the room, banishing the guards and staring at the form on the floor. When she didn't move he began pacing the floor, looking everywhere else in the room but her.
"What do you want?" She said finally.
"Just who the hell are you?" Zuko fumed and slammed his fist on an iron table. "Who the hell do you think you are coming aboard my ship with an incriminating artifact and attempting to escape and make me look like a fool?" Kai snapped her head up and locked eyes with him.
"I'm a poor kid who needs the money!" She snarled and began to struggle to her feet. "And if you think you can stand here in the lap of luxury and tell me I'm wrong, then you can go fuck yourself!"
"How dare you!" Zuko growled. Kai paid no heed to his comment, grabbing the bars to her cell and shaking them.
"Do you know what it's like to be hungry?" She yelled. "I bet the plates you eat off of could buy an entire family food for a month! Society hates people like me because we target people like you who wouldn't even notice if something was missing! You're an absolute spoiled brat! Fuck you! Fuck you and your goddamn crew! I hate all of you!"
Kai had no power over the tears that fell from her eyes or the sobs that racked her body and caused her to fall to the ground. Zuko stood motionless for a few moments, trembling with rage. He wanted to slap her for her insolence. How dare she mock his status? How dare she speak to him in such a way?
He felt flames begin to bloom the skin on his shoulders, growing with his anger. What did he care about rabble like this thief? These people only had one thought and that was how much they could get without doing as much work as possible. He turned to leave; there was no point in talking to her. The only thing these people understood was…
Money.
He turned slowly back to the girl still sobbing on the floor. When he cleared his throat she didn't quiet, and it pained him to actually say this.
"Is there anything that you require to make yourself more comfortable?" Zuko asked, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.
Kai looked up, her eyes red and her face contorted into a snarl. It looked like she was about to fire an acidic retort at him, but the words died in her mouth when she saw the look on his face. Chuckling, she shakily got to her feet and sat tiredly on the bed.
"A bath." She laughed. "And some new clothes. And some food and water, I'm starving."
Zuko gritted his teeth and nodded, leaving the room feeling his pride take another blow as he did. After a luxurious bath in a mountain of bubbles and hot water, Kai was brought a spare tunic. She wrinkled her nose at the Fire Nation colors, but put her grudge aside seeing as the only other option was to be naked. And that is never a wise thing to do when on a ship. She was ushered down a few halls, this time her escorts did not touch her or handle her roughly. Eventually, they stepped ahead of her and opened the large metal doors to a dining room.
Kai could feel herself beginning to salivate when her eyes spied a long metal table laden with all kinds of food; barbequed pork, meat buns, fried rice, fruits, steamed vegetables, and piles upon piles of desserts. She sat down at the table, not even bothering to grab a plate, and grabbed a leg of a large bird and began ripping large chunks of it off with her teeth.
"Haha! I see you've helped yourself! Saves me from having to wait."
Kai's head snapped up from her food and she locked eyes with General Iroh and she immediately grinned. Iroh sat down next to her and grabbed a plate. She swallowed her mouthful of food and wiped the grease of her mouth with a napkin before speaking.
"I was wondering when I'd see you again." She said with a smirk. "Your nephew hasn't kept me very good company."
"I wouldn't expect him to after you tried to escape," Iroh retorted through a mouthful of rice.
Kai grinned and took a bite of food. "Thief code says I need to at least attempt an escape. I've seen how far I can go now and I just have to calculate how to get even farther."
"What makes you think you'll be able to?"
"Trial and error. You won't kill me and you won't let me go; I have to do something. And if I can figure out how to get a little farther, I'll soon be off this junker."
Iroh smiled. "Soon you'll find that this 'junker' isn't so bad. And maybe you don't have to escape to get off of it."
"Is that what this is all about?" Kai asked and gestured to her clothes and the mountain of food.
Iroh was about to reply before a door was opened and Prince Zuko stepped into the room. He smiled. In Kai's opinion, it was a smile like poisoned honey.
"Enjoying your food?" He asked politely. Kai grunted and took a barbaric bite of meat. The corner of his smile twitched.
"I'd like to apologize for the rough handling and poor treatment shown to you earlier. Those who inflicted it have been dealt with." He said and sat down across from her at the table. Kai eyed him.
"You look untouched to me." She growled. He gritted his teeth.
"Your things have been placed in one of our guest rooms that is for your use during the rest of your stay." He said, attempting to swallow his anger.
"Oh, is my scepter there as well?" Kai asked with false sweetness.
"No." Zuko replied shortly. "Your scepter is stolen property and will be returned to its owner."
"Hm." Kai sighed and folded her hands. "I'd be more than willing to sell it to you. If not, I can guarantee you that I'll be able to take it from you. If I got past an entire Earth Kingdom guard, what makes you thing you and your crew will stand a chance?"
"I have something better to offer you." Zuko said with a smirk. "Something much better."
"Is this the part where you offer me a job in which I can earn my scepter back?" Kai asked and flicked a pea off a plate.
Zuko grimaced and leaned forward. "Forget about the scepter. I have a fortune of gold at my disposal and if you can do something for me, I will be willing to give it to you."
Kai perked up. "Exactly how much are we talking here?"
"Think the scepter tenfold." Zuko grinned. "And all you have to do is help me capture the Avatar."
Kai's smiled dropped. "You want me to what?"
"I am on a mission that has taken me years. I am charged with capturing the Avatar and taking him to my father."
"I don't know if you understand exactly what it is I do." Kai said rather haughtily and leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. "I am a thief: I break into people's homes and take whatever they have. I am a master of silence, lock picking, and remaining unseen. None of these talents will aid you in kidnap."
"You can find a target and gather information," Zuko argued. "And you're a new face. Find him and get half the money. Capture him for me too and get all of it."
Kai picked up a yellow apple and took a small bite from it, chewing thoroughly as her eyes stared at the table's surface. She sighed.
"Give me 70% 0f what you've got and I'll find him and lead you to him. I'll make it fool proof so there's no way you could mess it up." She said and stood. Zuko opened his mouth to reply angrily but Kai waved it away. "Those are my conditions. Until the job is done, my services are yours. I won't kill for you, but my blades are yours as are my deft fingers. Call on me when you need me."
She snatched up her apple from the table, took a large bite, and gestured for a guard to lead her to her room. She walked out without a glance back.
Iroh laughed and belched. "Well, Zuko. She may be a thief, but she sure does know how to make an exit."
Zuko did not reply as flames began to build from his clenched fists.