1"Boys are so predictable." Azula said shaking her head. Aang, Katara, and Toph looked at Sokka apologetically.

"Uh...Katara! Aang! Toph! What are you guys doing here?" Sokka stammered.

"Save it." Azula demanded. "I know when I'm being lied to."

Sokka sighed in defeat. "Well...since you seem to think I'm predictable..." Sokka pulled out his boomerang and threw it at the Dai Li agents holding his friends hostage. Azula shot a fireball at Sokka, but Toph stopped it by bending up a wall in between them. Sokka backed up towards a fallen tree log. He ducked at a Dai Li agent bended a small boulder at his head. Suki ran towards him. He pushed Suki behind him as he pulled out his sword to fight off rock bullets. Aang and Toph both charged at the Dai Li who were attacking Sokka. Sokka took a breath and turned to Suki. He cradled her face in his hands. Suki did the same for Sokka. "Are you okay?"

Suki smiled and nodded. "Yeah." They hugged.

Meanwhile, Mai ran to Zuko. Zuko took Mai's hands in his. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Mai answered. She sighed.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Zuko asked nervously.

"No, actually, they didn't." Mai replied. She cleared her throat. "I...I know this sounds crazy, but...they're actually good people, Zuko. The Avatar and his friends aren't as bad as we think."

Zuko sighed and chuckled, and shook his head. "Wow. That is the last thing I expected you to say."

Mai looked down, slightly guilty. "I know."

Zuko held Mai's chin up. "I feel the same way." Mai looked surprised. "This Summer at home made me realize that my father isn't all that he's cracked up to be. He doesn't care about me, and neither does Azula. Yes, being a prince is...fun and exciting, but...I wanted more, you know? I wanted a family, I'm not going to get that at the Royal Palace."

Mai stared at Zuko. "Well, I guess we're even, because that is the last thing I thought you'd say."

Zuko smiled. He looked around, then back at Mai. He pulled out the note. "I, uh...I was going to leave the Fire Nation to join the Avatar. And...I was gonna leave you this note."

Mai took the note and read over it. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Wow. Really profound. You'd make a great writer someday." She said sarcastically.

"I didn't mean to offend you in anyway." Zuko said sincerely. "And...I'm doing all of this to save my country."

"From what, exactly?" Mai asked folding her arms.

"Tyranny." Zuko replied. "Mai, people from all over the world, including here in the Fire Nation are suffering from the war. It has to end."

Mai blinked. Zuko continued. "What? You actually like the war? You want it to continue?"

"Honestly? I don't give a damn." Mai shrugged. ""You should know by now that I generally try to avoid deciding what's right or wrong."

"Then let me put it this way: if my father held me hostage, and told you to choose between killing me and the Avatar, who would you choose?" Zuko asked. "Because if you kill the Avatar...his friends will come after you and hunt you down and kill you."

Mai swallowed. She sighed in frustration. "Then I'll probably save you both. I don't know! God, why are you asking me these questions?"

"Because I want you to make the right choices in your life." Zuko replied. "I don't want you to go through life thinking that the wrong people are good."

"Why?"

"Because...I love you." Zuko admitted. "I really care about you."

Mai stared at Zuko intently. She tried to contain all of her emotions, but failed. Instead, she turned away. Zuko sighed in defeat.

"Awwww. Isn't that sweet." Azula commented. Mai and Zuko turned to face her. She grinned evilly. Mai backed away in case Azula was going to use firebending. "You know, Zuzu...I really thought you'd be on my and Father's side. I guess I don't know you as well as I thought."

Zuko shrugged. "Guess not. So what now?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the Fire Nation siblings. Mai backed up until she almost bumped into Sokka.

"Well, I think you know the penalty for treason." Azula smirked. She generated her lightning and shot it at Zuko.

"NO!" Mai screamed in horror. She ran forward, but Sokka grabbed her. "NO!"

Zuko caught Azula's lightning and redirected it to the sky. Everyone gaped in shock. Mai breathed heavily with relief.

"Where did you learn that?" Azula asked, scowling at Zuko.

"It doesn't matter." Zuko winked. He smirked as he watched his sister try to control her anger.

Azula clenched her fists and took a few deep breaths. "How do you know something I don't?"

"Maybe I'm just a more likable pupil than you are." Zuko suggested. He suppressed a laugh. "But...trust me. You're not the best firebender in the land."

"You lied to me about the Avatar being dead, so don't you talk to me about trust!" Azula exclaimed. Katara's, Aang's, and Sokka's mouths dropped open and they stared at Zuko in shock. Azula continued. "You've been stringing me along all summer, haven't you? Visiting Uncle in his prison, turning my friends against me, blackmailing me, wanting to stay behind in Ba Sing Se...you're setting me up, aren't you?"

Zuko sighed. "Not everything is about you, Azula."

"YES, IT IS!" Azula almost screeched. She breathed heavily. "All my life, I've been better at everything than you or anyone is! For the last five years, I've worked my ass off in order to become the next heir. The Fire Lord is supposed to be more powerful than any firebender. Since you came home, everyone, even my own friends think you'll make a better Fire Lord." She sniffed and swallowed. "I'll show them. I'll be the greatest Fire Lord in the history of this country!"

"You'll also be the biggest murderer of this country." Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Burning down the Earth Kingdom during the comet?"

Katara and Suki gasped and covered their mouths with their hands, Sokka and Toph glared at Azula, and Aang shook his head, a look of shock and dismay on his face. "No..."

Azula shook with anger and hatred. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Azula charged at Zuko, her hands flaming with fire. She thrust fireballs at Zuko at close range. Zuko jumped back and bended the fire away, so she wouldn't burn him. Azula grabbed both of Zuko's arms and tried to force him down, but Zuko was stronger.

"Let go, azula!:" Zuko demanded.

"You told our enemies of our plan!" Azula snarled.

"YOUR plan. Not mine!" Zuko corrected. He pushed Azula away.

Mechanical whirring was heard overhead. Everyone looked up to see a giant, fancy airship approaching.

"Who is that?" Sokka asked.

"My father." Zuko answered.

Azula breathed heavily and grinned evilly, turning back to Zuko. "Now...you're gonna get it." Azula recomposed herself and walked over near where the airship would land.

Zuko looked back at Aang and his friends. "I'm sorry for all that I've done in the past year. I thought I was gaining my honor, but...I realized that no one can give you honor." He sighed and looked back at the airship, which just landed. "You may want to stand down for a bit. This is gonna get ugly between me, Azula, and my father." He ran next to Azula.

Katara just scoffed. "Can you believe him?"

"Katara, he really has changed." Suki said. "I...sort of bonded with Zuko, and we talked. I realized that he is really conflicted. He thought what he chose was right, but he was wrong."

Sokka just stared at Suki. "Wow...you know someone's changed when someone with trust issues trusts the enemy."

"So, you're saying you believe me? That Zuko's changed?" Suki asked hopefully.

Sokka sighed. "Look...he's put us through so much crap since we met him. It's gonna take a lot for me to change my mind. I believe you, but...I just need to see it, all right?"

Suiki sighed. "Okay. Fair enough." They both looked at Katara and Aang.

"I agree with Sokka." Katara replied. "I need to see it."

"Aang?" Katara asked.

Aang just stared at the ground taking heavy breaths. He shook his head. "I can't do it."

"What?" Katara asked, concerned.

"I'm not ready to face the Fire Lord yet." Aang answred.

Katara and Sokka stared at each other in dismay. Now what were they going to do?

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