Momo: Worry not he will be here eventually. xP Can't have an Avatar fic without the Avatar. You're welcome. I try to update somewhat regularly. And thank you, I really do appreciate review stating that I can make someone's night-that kind of stuff makes me happy. :D Making people smile is one of the reasons I like to write.

75Check: I was considering it, but I couldn't lol. Zuko needed to be alive. I'll save the dying for my angst fics. :P I've got a plan for Zuko in place. And thank you, glad you like what I've got so far.

Nobody: But can she do it is the question? Heehee, I'm looking forward to writing Azula's training, believe me.

Fokusas: You're the second person to make the "you're worse than my father comment" she's gonna have to say it now lolz. I really am going to have too much fun writing the training scene. As for the tiny guard; nah, she just small. Us short people can be tough little demons when we want to be. Mini (irrelevant) backstory time: the guard's name is Lukka she was the shortest kid in her class; because of this she was bullied and pushed around. So she decided to take up extra martial arts training and do a bit of sparring with her military father. After some time, in her teens she decided to follow in her father's footsteps (sort of) and become a guard. At first she was one of the weakest in the ranks but about a year in she managed to by-pass the best of them, shocking most every one of her co-workers. They began calling her 'tiny TNT'. The End. :D

All of this said, just an importantish note; the reason I haven't been updating (for those of you who don't follow me on tumblr-not that you want to xP, and didn't get the message) is because I decided to start dedicating more time into my original story. I've been blowing it off for a while and decided to start typing it again. And with school just around the corner time will be in a huge squeeze especially since this year will be my first away from home.

Mai scowled. Of course Azula would put her in this position. She hadn't even planned on sticking with her past getting her out of the palace.

Avatar Aang is in for an earful, Mai decided, and Azula isn't far behind.

Mai scratched her head. Just how the hell was she supposed to carry the both of them? She was having trouble enough carrying Zuko. She rubbed her pointer along her chin; the ceremonial armor—she'd remove that, it'd take at least some weight off of Zuko.

The woman set herself to work—surprised at just how heavy all that armor really was. She slung Zuko over her shoulder and made her way over to Azula. The former firebender lie there rather gracefully Mai had to admit; it was as if she'd planned on passing out and laid herself down as if simply taking a nap.

Mai attempted to heave Azula over her other shoulder, but with Zuko already there she didn't even have it in her to lift Azula more than a few inches.

She gave a loud sigh, this was so tiresome—and most definitely worse than the drill…at least on that mission, Azula was doing most of the hard work.

As if to throw it in her face, Mai noticed cracks forming in the wall Azula had created.

"Come on, one of you need to wake up." Mai mumbled. What am I saying? Only one of them can wake up. She added silently to herself.

"Believe me, I'm trying." Zuko huffed.

Mai jumped.

"You're…alive?" Mai asked.

"I have been, this whole time. Alive, paralyzed, half frozen, and—until now—unable to talk."

"Anything else you'd like to complain about?"

"Yes. The only water I got was the water that dripped into my mouth, and I'm hungry."

"Well I suppose that we don't even have to run. Now that you're awake you can explain that this was all just some big misunderstanding. I mean they've already seen Azula earthbend…"

"That's not a good thing." Zuko muttered.

"What do you mean, it's not a good thing? You're back and can take the throne again, she's not contagious, and at this point I think it's safe to assume she can't even get the virus again."

"We can talk about this later, we have to leave now."

"Did you just wake up? Because leaving is what I've been trying to accomplish since Azula broke out of prison. And now she isn't even awake to follow through with her own plan."

Zuko flushed, "I've been awake this whole time." He admitted. "I'm just saying we should hurry."

"I hope you can run on your own now, because I have to carry your sister."

Zuko frowned, trying to find feeling in any of his limbs. His frown twisted into a scowl at the defiance of every muscle in his body. "I can't even lift a finger."

Mai looked up—the guards were gaining ground. She uttered a soft growl accompined with a scowl that put Zuko's to shame. The Fire Lord shivered, this was the most emotion he'd seen from Mai in a long time…

And it definitely wasn't the kind of emotional display he wanted to see.

Mai scanned her surroundings, tsking lightly as she did so. Her eyes fell upon a trading cart. Without any prior indication she withdrew her knives and slipped them swiftly at the poor merchant manning the cart. She felt a jab of guilt at robbing the man, but brushed it off, deciding that she had the more urgent business.

She'd just have to remind Zuko not to get pissed at the lack of this week's produce supply. For good measure she muttered to the man; "I'll pay you for the goods that didn't make it to the palace; take it as a thank you for lending me your cart."

The mad nodded, a bead of sweat running down his forehead.

She'd scared him good and well.

But she hadn't the time to reflect on that.

She hastily tossed Zuko into the cart, ignoring his shouted "damn it! Be careful!" He'd be complaining again anyways as the cart was really only big enough to carry one…so, being the one of slimmer build, Azula would be laying atop him.

The princess was much easier to lift than Mai had anticipated—but definitely would have still been a task to carry for miles. She heaved her into the cart only slightly more carefully than she had Zuko. "Ow! Come on Mai, seriously?"

"Would you like to suggest a roomier spot for her?"

Zuko gave a defeated sigh. "Just get us to where we're going. This is really…awkward and uncomfortable." He motioned—rather would have motioned—to Azula's sleeping form nestled, face up, way too closely than he was used to.

Thanks to Mai's astounding lack of care, his sister's hand had flopped down startlingly close to his ass. "Can you at least move her hand." He requested through gritted teeth.

Mai lifted Azula's limp hand and placed it atop her belly. "Good enough for you, Zuko? Or do you want to kill any more time?"

Zuko rolled his eyes—at least he could move those. "Yes, I'll stop…asking for favors now."

"Asking for favors." Mai replied as she began pushing the cart. "That's a gentle way of putting your complaining."

Zuko found himself overcome by a wicked urge to yell at Mai for being so snarky to him while he was still so sick. He bit his tongue, noting that her snappiness was likely stress induced. Instead he was left to focus on Azula. Her head knocking painfully against his chest with every bump of the cart. On one hand, at least he would have to hear her complaining the whole way to wherever they were going, on the other hand he definitely wished she could be awake, alert, and not laying a top him.

Silently Mai also thanked Agni that the princess was unconscious, the last thing she wanted was to listen to the Fire Siblings fight over whose fault this was…or worse listen to them both whine of how terrible this trip would be—knowing Azula she'd turn that into a competition; who can complain the hardest?

Mai snorted at her own joke.

The Fire Lady hit a particularly hard bump sending Azula jolting hard into Zuko, who let out a pained groan and a curse or two.

One thing was certain, Zuko knew it, Mai knew it—if she were awake Azula'd know it—this was going to be a long little journey…

And Mai still hadn't the faintest inkling as to where she was supposed to be headed.