Equivalent Exchange

Chapter 29: Capture

Jet's forest was far behind them and as they moved further north, the territory began to look familiar to Zuko and Mai. Pohuai Stronghold was close and the pair took extra caution as they traveled. When the Fire Nation wanted to capture people badly enough, it would do anything to accomplish that end. Both had heard enough stories about the lengths their nation would go to from a young and enthusiastic Azula, tutors and instructors at school. They couldn't be too careful.

Appa was back in the sky where he felt most comfortable and Zuko's group was back to following behind on their ostrich horses. They made one large camp every night now and talked by the fire after every dinner. Katara was still smarting from the incident with Jet but her attitude to her Fire Nation comrades had improved considerably. Part of that softening could be credited to Mai, who despite her quiet and reserve, had opened up to the waterbender a bit.

"It's not your fault, you know," Mai said a few days after leaving the woods surrounding Jet's hideout.

They were huddled around a large campfire, all of them together under a huge outcropping of rock, trying their best to keep warm and dry. The rain was pelting downwards in cold miserable sheets and their breath blew out in steamy clouds. Mai was miserable. She pulled her cloak around her body tightly and tried to make eye contact with Zuko. He could improve her situation a bit with some of that handy inner fire.

Katara looked up in response to Mai's comment and flashed the girl an angry look, more out of instinct than anything else. Her expression softened, however, upon seeing Mai's surprise.

"Thanks, Mai. I feel incredibly stupid for believing in him. I mean, how naive could I be?"

"He flattered you. He made you feel like a girl instead of just a sister. And you liked it. There's nothing wrong with that," Mai explained reasonably. "And he was charming, in a smarmy kind of way."

"I suppose," Katara agreed. "I'm just grateful that the rest of you saw through him. I keep imagining that whole village gone and all the people killed. I don't know what I would have done."

"I'm naturally cynical," Mai smirked. "If you need help sorting out the jerks from the non jerks, ask me."

"Um, thanks," Katara smiled in reply. "You're lucky you've got Zuko."

Mai nodded. "We were betrothed from a young age. Fortunately we actually liked one another and when he was banished, I, I had to go with him."

"And now you've had more than two years traveling together. I can see how he adores you. It's so obvious."

"Yeah, he's a dork. Have you noticed how much Aang likes you?"

"Well, yeah, I know he likes me. I like him too."

"No," Mai corrected her. "I mean he's, you know, in love with you."

"But, he's like a little brother," Katara declared, her big eyes growing even bigger.

"I don't think Aang sees things that way," Mai protested. "Watch him more closely."

"Hey," Zuko said as he approached with a cup of tea for each of them. "I'm not intruding, am I? Oh, my uncle made tea for everyone."

"No," Katara replied. "We're done. Thanks for the tea. And thank you, Mai."

"Amazing; she wasn't ripping your head off," Zuko observed after Katara left to join Aang and Sokka.

"Yeah, well, she's still feeling stupid about the whole Jet thing, so I tried to make her feel better."

"Wow," Zuko chuckled.

"Hey," she said, giving him a slap. "I know I'm not miss touchy feely but I have some compassion."

"I know you do," Zuko replied seriously. "And I know that you're cold too. Come under here."

He lifted his arm then and his cloak spread out like a huge wing. As soon as Mai was tucked into his chest, Zuko wrapped the thick material around her and applied a gentle heat to her body.

"Oh," she groaned. "That feels so good. It's freezing and I hate feeling damp."

Zuko kissed the top of her head.

"I wish we could get even closer, but there are too many people around and it's too wet to sneak off anywhere."

"I know," she pouted. "I miss it."

"Then we'll have to look for an opportunity," Zuko smirked and kissed her hair again.


Another day's travel put them in an abandoned Earth Kingdom town. In its glory, the settlement would have been beautiful. Literally cut out of the mountain, the rock buildings began at the steep slope's bottom and continued on up to its summit. There were temples and businesses, schools and homes. Trees dotted the mountainside too, providing small splashes of colour to the wall of beige rock. Other mountains surrounded the one that the town had been hewn from, providing shelter and defense at one time.

"What a lovely place this is," Iroh declared as he dismounted from his ostrich horse. "How about we spend the night here? There is lots of good shelter for us, and lots of privacy."

The privacy part was for Mai's and Zuko's benefit, of course. He was certain they would make excellent use of it too.

"I agree," Jee stated. "A night out of the mud will do us all good."

Everyone else shrugged or muttered assents. They had to sleep somewhere and this spot was better than a lot of their other ones had been.

"You know," Sokka sniffled. "I'm really not feeling that well. I'd like to, to, to…"

He sneezed loudly then and wiped at his nose.

"Ugh, are you getting sick?" Katara asked. She felt his forehead in a motherly fashion, then his cheeks. "You feel warm."

"I'm just getting a cold," Sokka protested and then began to cough.

"That's it," the waterbender declared. "You're going to bed right now."

"But we haven't even had dinner yet," he whined.

"I'll bring you something to eat if you want and maybe Iroh can make you some tea. Let's go."

"How about that temple over there," Aang suggested helpfully. "It looks good."

"You're right, Aang. It's perfect."

Aang beamed at the older girl, obviously pleased with her praise. The three of them walked alongside Appa into the open air temple and set up their sleeping bags in the centre of the stone floor.

"I'll get some firewood," the Avatar offered cheerfully.

"He's like a little puppy, isn't he?" Mai asked Zuko quietly as she watched the boy scurry off like the wind that he could bend. "He's so eager for Katara's approval."

"He is?" Zuko asked. "I thought he was that way around everyone."

"Don't worry about it," Mai replied with a sigh. "You're oblivious."

"So, where are we going to sleep tonight?" Zuko asked. "There are a lot of nice empty places here."

He was much more concerned with having some time alone with Mai than with what his betrothed perceived as the Avatar's crush on Katara. Iroh joined them then, placing a hand on each of their shoulders.

"That little house way over there looks charming," the old general said with a wink. "Have dinner with everyone and then you can retire there for the night."

"Um, yeah," Zuko agreed and blushed at his uncle's implications.

The fact that they were correct did nothing to assuage his embarrassment.

"Nephew, you have no reason to be embarrassed. Enjoy your time with Mai. I've learned that we need to take our pleasures where and when we can."

"Yes, uncle," the prince said through gritted teeth. "I get it."

"Go then, set up your bedrolls, gather some wood for yourselves and then come help me make dinner. It's our turn tonight."

Mai and Zuko walked down the street filled with chunks of broken rock and entered the house, a house where someone once lived, a family probably. There was still evidence of that existence. Broken bits of pottery were scattered across the floor, and a few pieces of furniture remained; a large bed, too heavy to take anywhere along with a massive chest. A torn cloth doll slumped in the corner where it had been forgotten years ago probably. It was a sad place.

"It will be better with a fire and look, there's an actual bed we can sleep on," Mai stated.

"Just another thing we can blame the Fire Nation for," Zuko said angrily. "All these people ripped from their homes. Where did they go?"

"I know," Mai replied softly.

She put her arms loosely around Zuko's waist and pressed the side of her face into his chest. The prince didn't respond right away but eventually raised his arms and wrapped them around her tightly.

"Let's go help my uncle," he suggested. "This place is depressing."


"See, it's a bit more cheerful," Mai said later that evening as she and Zuko stretched out on their bedrolls near the blazing fire. "Though what would I know about cheerful, right? That's more Ty Lee's domain or Aang's."

It felt strange saying her old friend's name. Mai wondered briefly if she would ever see Ty Lee again. She shook her head, trying to physically dislodge the thought.

"I guess," Zuko agreed. "It's weird though. I feel like an intruder here."

"Well, you're not, so stop moping, okay. Let's enjoy our private time. It's limited now."

Zuko smiled and moved his bedroll closer to Mai's, right behind her in fact. He put his chin on her shoulder and stared into the fire, unconsciously making the flames rise and fall along with his breathing.

"What's that like?" Mai whispered.

"Hmmmm," Zuko replied.

He began to kiss her neck then and placed a hand just underneath her breasts.

"Zuko!" Mai snapped. "I asked you a question."

"What's what like?"

"Controlling fire," Mai replied.

"Oh, wow, that's hard to explain," the prince answered vaguely.

"Could you try?" Mai insisted.

"Sure; I guess it's, it can feel like power, but it's more than that, you know. It's like I'm one with the fire, it's a part of me, and I'm a part of it. Would it sound stupid if I said it feels almost spiritual?"

"No," Mai replied. "That makes sense, I guess. I wish I could feel it just once, feel the fire flowing through me. It must be exhilarating."

"Yeah, that's a good word too," Zuko agreed. "Do you really feel bad about not being a bender?"

"No, no, I'm fine with my own skills. I'm just curious, I suppose."

"Mai, you're amazing with your blades. And you had to train yourself. Not many people could do that and become so good. I'll bet you're one of the best in the world."

She snorted then and shook her head at Zuko's hyperbole. But it was sweet nonetheless and she pressed herself backward into Zuko's body in response. He went back to kissing her neck then, and eventually rolled over and pulled her on top of him. Their kissing grew heated and their breathing heavy.

"Remember that bed," Mai gasped as Zuko nipped at her ear.

"Oh, I remember," he smirked.

Mai stood up and Zuko followed, scooping her into his arms and carrying her to the bedroom. She felt like a girl from one of those ridiculous romances her mother used to read. But, she could live with that, as long as Zuko was the hero.


"What is that noise?" Mai asked irritably early the next morning.

Zuko was already sitting up in the bed and reaching for his shirt.

"It sounds like Aang," he replied. "I'll go look."

He leaned over and put warm lips against her forehead before stepping onto the dusty floor. Mai watched appreciatively as he dressed, muscles rippling under pale skin. Zuko felt her eyes and a faint pink blush spread quickly across his cheeks.

"Hurry back," she giggled.

Zuko ran out into the street and looked for the Avatar. The boy was already talking with Iroh and Jee.

"What's going on?" the prince asked when he joined the huddle.

"It's Katara; she's sick now too. They're delirious, Zuko."

Aang sounded panicked and he looked imploringly at everyone.

"I thought that Sokka just had a cold," the firebender replied.

"Yes, but they have high fevers. I need to help them."

Zuko looked at his uncle and shrugged.

"I'll take a look at them, alright, Aang?" Iroh soothed. "Just relax."

"Yes, sir," the Avatar replied. "But I'm going to poke around the town for something that might help."

He sped off then, soaring into the sky on his glider and dropping down again to investigate different sections of the settlement.

"I'll go get Mai and we'll work on breakfast, okay, Uncle?"

"Yes, yes, thank you, nephew. I trust that you and Mai enjoyed your time together?"

"Uh, yeah, we did," Zuko answered, flushing yet again.

'I really need to get that under control,' he thought to himself and ran back to the little house.


Aang came back shortly after, a scroll in his hand.

"Look Zuko and Mai, I found a map," he exclaimed and proceeded to sit beside them, open the scroll and then spread it out flat, his hands smoothing out the paper.

"I see," Mai replied. "How will that help Katara and Sokka? Oh, and Iroh is giving them some of that special tea he makes."

"Good," the Avatar replied, sounding relieved. "But look on the map." He pointed to a far mountain which was marked with the symbols for herbs and healing. "See, there's an herbalists' institute right near the top of that mountain. I'll bet there's a cure for them there."

"Aang, they just have colds. They'll be fine," Mai stated.

"I'd still rather ask an herbalist, if you don't mind," he replied a little snippily.

"Whatever," Mai said.

"Whoa, Aang, Pohuai stronghold is nearby. That means there will be Fire Nation lookouts all over. If you take off and they see you on that glider, they'll shoot you out of the sky. Zhao will be after you and me and Mai. I'm sure that there are wanted posters for us all over the Earth Kingdom by now. You need to be careful."

"I will be. I don't need to fly, I can use my airbending to run really fast; watch."

The Avatar took off down the street and soon became nothing but an orange and yellow blur.

"He'll go no matter what I say, won't he?" Zuko asked Mai.

"Oh yeah," she replied. "It's for Katara."

Zuko dropped his head into his hands. "Damn."

"Where is the boy off to?" Iroh asked as he entered the shelter he and Jee had used the night before.

"Here," Mai replied and pointed to the mountain on the map.

"What is on the mountain?"

"An herbalist, he hopes. He wants some medicine for Sokka and Katara," Zuko said. "I warned him about Pohuai and lookouts but he's not worried."

"Well, he should be," Iroh stated angrily. "Foolish boy; he'll put all of us in danger."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Zuko agreed.


Pohuai Stronghold, the previous evening

Colonel Shinu watched proudly from one of Pohuai's many watchtowers as the Yu Yan Archers went through their practice routine. They were magnificent, each and every one of them, the best archers in the Fire Nation, and, Shinu was certain, in the world as well. They wore facepaint, creating the illusion of a mask, and their uniforms, from headband to shoes, to quills were mixes of solid brown and reddish brown with bits of rusty red trim. They would blend in well most places, whether sitting in trees awaiting the enemy or creeping through the brush.

He turned when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Commander Zhao, what a pleasant surprise," Shinu said sarcastically. "I heard about your little escapade on the Crescent Isle."

"I'm sure you did, Colonel Shinu. It's funny how Fire Lord Ozai has given me two very important missions while you sit here at Pohuai doing nothing but watching. And I seem to recall an infiltration not that long ago. There were two masked intruders, weren't there? It was laughably easy for them to get inside the fortress."

"They'll never get in again," Shinu replied smartly. "We've improved things around here. The guards are sharper and fitter."

Zhao laughed. "For your sake, I hope that you're right. I'm here to ask a favor of you."

"Oh," Shinu drawled.

"I want the Yu Yan Archers to accompany me. They may prove invaluable in my hunt for the Avatar and Prince Zuko. And when I invade the North Pole, I'll need them as well."

"Too bad, they're mine," Shinu replied abruptly. "I'm the superior officer, remember."

"You're wasting their talents here. They're nothing but glorified guards."

"I'll use them as I see fit," the colonel insisted with a glare.

Zhao crossed his arms then and flinched. His burn was still extremely painful, a shameful reminder of his encounter with the Avatar and the prince. He wanted revenge. He dreamed about it and he plotted it. If everything went his way, both boys would be dead before he reached the North Pole.

A messenger hawk, a majestic red and grey bird with a massive wing span, flew up onto the tower and landed on Shinu's outstretched arm. The colonel removed the letter from the tube strapped to the bird's back and read it quickly. His face fell and he handed the paper over to Zhao.

"I've been promoted to Admiral," Zhao stated smugly. "What excellent timing. I'll take those Yu Yan Archers now, Colonel. I'll be leaving again in a few days, after I'm resupplied. I want the archers ready to go when I do."

"Yes, Admiral," Shinu replied.

His fists were balled up at his sides and he cursed his most damnable luck.


"Why did Ozai promote me?" Zhao muttered under his breath.

He was pacing his comfortable room at Pohuai, trying to figure out the workings of Ozai's mind.

"I failed at the Crescent Isle and now he's rewarding me. Maybe it's some kind of trick. Maybe he's hoping I'll fail again. The fall of an admiral is far greater than the fall of a commander. Grrr, I wish I knew what the man was thinking."

The new admiral undressed in the dark, unwilling to look at his chest, where the burn that Ozai inflicted upon him, was still healing. He fumbled on the dresser for his jar of ointment and lathered it onto the burn, grimacing as his fingers touched it.

"Oh, Zuko and Mai, I will see you both dead, or die in the attempt. I will not go back to Ozai a failure again, even if it means taking my own life."

Somehow that declaration and that decision made Zhao feel freer than he had in a long while. He slept well that night.


Fire Nation Watch Post

"Do you believe this propaganda about the Avatar?" one guard asked the other.

They sat inside a small wooden guard post built into a tree alongside the mountain path. He held a wanted poster in his hand. Aang's likeness was printed on it as well as a description of his abilities.

"What, that he can run like the wind, creating mini tornadoes?" the second guard replied incredulously.

"Yeah, that."

"Uh, no; I heard he's just a little kid. How dangerous can he be?"

Suddenly, through his telescope, the second guard spotted something on the path below. Huge clouds of dust flew up and a boy dressed in orange and yellow, bald and small, ran by; well, running wasn't quite the best description. It was more like flying but with his feet still sort of on the ground. A powerful gust of wind toppled the guard house and as the two young men worked their way out from beneath the broken wood, one raised the horn that hung from a leather strap around his neck. He put it against his lips and blew with all his might.

"Now Pohuai will know," he said with satisfaction. "And maybe we'll get rewarded."

The first guard looked at the destruction around them and shook his head.

"I doubt it," he replied.


Herbalists' Institute

Aang waited impatiently for the ancient herbalist woman to finish with her bizarre concoction. If it helped Katara and Sokka though, the wait would be worth it.

"So, this will help my friends with their fever and coughing?" he asked hopefully.

"No, you idiot; this is for my cat. Your friends need to suck on frozen frogs. You'll find them at the bottom of the mountain. There's a river there. Just make sure that they spit the little critters out once they begin to thaw."

"Uh, okay, thanks lady."

Aang backed away from the strange woman, exited the circular building and began to run. A volley of red feathered arrows greeted him.

"Uh oh," the Avatar said. "I guess Zuko was right."

He dodged the projectiles gamely and used his bending to blow a lot of them off course. But there were at least ten archers and it was difficult to avoid them all. In a final attempt to escape the painted troupe, Aang dove downwards, over the side of a cliff and into the river below. Much to his surprise, the agile archers followed without hesitation. Once in the river, he submerged himself in the water and swam, hoping to lose the group that way. He felt around in the muddy river bottom, figuring that he may as well look for the frogs while he was there. The boy was thrilled to grab hold of a few and when he rose for air, gasping and dripping cold water down his bald head,stuffed them into his shirt.

The archers were waiting for him as soon as he emerged from the cold water.

"Persistent," he muttered to himself.

Arrows flew again and Aang stood no chance. He was pinned to a log, unable to wrench his arms free.

"Avatar," one of the archers said as he approached. "Admiral Zhao will be very happy to see you."


Abandoned Town

Zuko paced the temple where both Katara and Sokka rested uncomfortably. Mai walked alongside him, a hand on his back.

"Wearing out the stone won't help," she reminded her betrothed.

"I know," he snapped and then apologized with a look. "But Aang's taking far too long. If he's not back in another hour, we're going to look for him. I'll bet he's at Pohuai, all chained up somewhere and ready to be sent to the Fire Nation."

"Maybe," Mai said calmly. "And how are we going to get there with all the guard posts that may be around?"

"We know what to look for. If I know Aang, he wasn't being discreet and he wasn't observing his surroundings. Besides, we'll have darkness on our side too. We have to rescue him, Mai."

"Where's Aang?" Katara asked blearily. "I thought he would be back by now."

"So did we," Zuko answered. "We'll find him."

"Ooooh, thirsty," the waterbender moaned.

Mai sighed and handed the girl a cup of cold water. Katara spilled most of it onto her blue sleeping bag. She was asleep again within seconds.

"I hope we don't catch this," Mai stated. "It's so undignified."


Pohuai Stronghold

Aang was frightened, but despite that fear, he worried about Katara and Sokka and wondered how they were feeling. The thought of the waterbender in any sort of pain or peril upset him more than he really understood. It amazed Aang that he could have such strong feelings for someone he had known less than three months. As if reminding him of their presence and his failure, the frogs he had picked up in the river began to twitch sluggishly inside his shirt. He wished that Katara and Sokka had the frogs instead of him. They weren't doing anybody any good in this towering monstrosity of a room.

He was shackled, somewhere in a Fire Nation fortress, arms and legs stretched out painfully, and there was no way out of his situation, no way that he could see now anyway. Sighing, the Avatar tried his best to stay positive. Perhaps someone would come to rescue him. It was possible, after all. Didn't Mai and Zuko mention breaking into a place like this? Yes, they did, he was sure of it. They were his only hope now.

He looked up when the door opened and Zhao walked in wearing armor and a vicious looking smirk.

"Isn't this a wonderful sight," he declared triumphantly. "The Avatar in chains; Fire Lord Ozai will be very, very pleased. Now, if I could only capture Prince Zuko and the lovely Mai as easily."

"Why don't you unchain me so we can have a fair fight?" Aang shouted angrily.

Zhao stroked his chin as if considering the thought. Then he returned his hands to their position behind his back and smiled at Aang.

"Hmmm, tempting as a fight with you is, I'll have to pass."

"Coward," Aang cried defiantly.

Zhao snickered and walked closer, close enough to see into Aang's grey eyes.

"Tell me, little boy, how does it feel to be the last airbender?"

The admiral's voice was condescending and cruel. Aang fought back tears but looked straight into the man's cold eyes.

"Do you miss your people?" Zhao asked.

Yes, yes he did, more than he could ever possibly express but he wouldn't let Zhao know that. Aang couldn't look at the man anymore, though, and let his head drop.

"Don't worry, young Avatar, you won't be killed like they were. We'll keep you alive, but barely."

Aang raised his head suddenly, inhaled deeply and blew Zhao across the room. The admiral grunted and put a hand carefully to his chest.

"Blow all the air you want," he roared when he rose. "Nothing will help you now. I'll be back to interrogate you later. Don't go anywhere."

Zhao took one last look at the boy and left, letting the door close behind him.

"Maybe someone will," Aang said softly.

Once outside in the hallway, Zhao's second in command scurried up to him.

"Tanaka," Zhao said curtly. "I need to write a letter to the Fire Lord. Come to my rooms with me. The sooner Ozai gets this the better."


A/N: Well, the whole Blue Spirit thing worked out to two parts. I suppose that I could have written one super huge chapter, but opted not to.