Lost in the screams of pain is a chapter story,
All the stories are about fragments out of Zuko's and Iroh's lives.

This story happens before and during [Book 2, ep.03: Return to Omashu].

A view on Mai's life.

Mai is fifteen,
Mai's mother (Saiko) is thirty-two,
Her father (Takehiko)is forty-four,
Tom-Tom is two,
Her uncle(Sho) is forty-two,
Azula is fourteen,
Ty Lee is fourteen.

Lost in the screams of pain,
Chapter 36: A boring life.

Mai sat in her bedroom and glared over Omashu. The city where she had lived for the past two years. The city of doom, she called it. Her life changed so much here in Omashu, too much!

She had lost her true home, The Fire Nation. She had lived there for more than twelve years. She was the girl next door to Prince Zuko.

She missed the Nation, the food, the smells but most of all the memories. Here in Omashu, she would never find her best friend … her boyfriend Zuko again. There was no real future here.

The young girl walked away from her window and fell on her bed. She glared at the sailing and couldn't forget her misery. Even how sad she was, she could not cry, she had unlearned to cry. Even now, when she knew for sure that she'll get engaged with a stranger within a year. She couldn't scream nor cry. She waited until the right moment to escape, escape from the marriage, from Omashu, from her family.

She had mixed feelings about her parents. Mai respected her family and loved them, … sometimes. She doesn't know what too feel for them, she spends most of her time in her room. Her mother was always busy with Tom-Tom and her father is always busy with his career. She had rejected her parents, after living here in Omashu. They treated her more as an object, then a human.

In the past, she and her parents had another sort of bond. Her mother educated her strict on manners and etiquette but they could talk, her mother was there when Mai needed her. Her father was a lovely man but he had never time for his family. Her mother changed and left her alone, when Mai turned into a young teenager. She was old enough to stand on her own feet's but in the reality, the young girl needed the support of her mother the most. Mai stranded in a depression after Zuko's banishment, her true personality froze.

Now, she's a girl with a heart made of ice. She had lost herself and it felt like she had no feelings left. She didn't know the difference between pain and happiness, it felt all the same.

Mai stood up as she heard someone knock at the door. "What?"

"Mai? Uncle Sho has send you a letter!" Her mother replied.

The girl wandered out of bed and opened the door; she took the letter and closed the door again. Mai opened the letter and sighed.

"My dear niece,

How's it going there in Omashu? I hope you feeling better?
For me everything is the same,
every day the same work. You know how it is…

How are your trainings with the stilettos?
I'm glad you kept exercising with them!
You built a nice fight base with your friend,
I remember that like yesterday.

Much love,
Uncle Sho."

She laid the letter on her bed and thought about what her uncle mentioned. With your friend… Mai rested her head on her hands. Zuko…

The young girl remembered the time when her uncle came on vacation to Mai's family. Uncle Sho had no luck in life, his fist love deceived him. He never married and had no children. He had dedicated his life to his work in the prison and lacks a family. Mai and Tom-Tom were like his children to him, he is more as a family person then Mai's parents were. He understood the values of a family; love, affection, support.

Mai loved it when Uncle Sho came. The ten year old girl sat home on the red seat, waited until he came. She peaked over her shoulder as she heard the door. "Uncle, Sho!"

Saiko, Mai's mother inhaled deep. "Mai? Your behavior!"

The young girl stopped her enthusiasm and bowed before her uncle. "Welcome, uncle."

Sho frowned at his sister. He didn't understood her, the way how she raised her daughter was too hard. "Thanks my child! I'm very glad to see you!"

Mai smiled to the man, she didn't say something anymore.

"Interested in a short walk?" The man asked.

"Sure!" The girl took her coat and left, she was happy to leave.

They walked through the capital and talked about the family and Sho's work. Mai stopped at the corner of the bakery. Her cheeks turned red, she wanted to turn away but she was too late. Prince Zuko had finished school and walked with his uncle over the square.

Sho glared with surprise over his young niece. "Well, well, well, what's wrong with you?"

"No-no-nothing?" The girl mumbled. She couldn't move, this was embarrassing for her.

The young Prince Zuko had noticed her as well and didn't knew what to do. He started to panic; Zuko grabbed his uncle's hand and tried to move him. Iroh glared down and did not participate with his nephew; he had his fun with this. "Say hello to her."

"Nooo… please. Don't go to her!" The boy begged silently.

Uncle Sho frowned at the duo; he recognized the symbols on their clothing. "Isn't that, our Prince?" The man asked with surprise.

Mai grabbed her uncle's hand and rushed to the fountain, she wanted to handle this in silence. "Yesss…" She whispered with a serious tone.

Sho sat down, next to the girl at the fountain. He could hardly grasp, the man stared before him to the Prince. He noticed the secret love for his niece in his young face. "Mai? Are you in love with him?"

The girl glared at the ground. "Will you laugh at me?"

"Never, you know that! You can share a secret with me…"

"We know each other… and I like him… but mother doesn't know! You know how she is!" Mai became nervous. "She will force me to love him, to marry him…"

Sho nodded with a sight, he knew how Saiko was. She wants the best future for her daughter, the best and richest boy for her but you can't force your child a future. "Don't worry, girl…"

"I want to choose what I want…" She whispered.

Mai woke out of her daydream. "I want to do what I want…" She whispered. "I want to be free!"

The next day.

The governor's daughter had heard about Princess Azula's visit, she waited patiently at the stairs. Mai didn't knew what to think, why should Azula need her now after three years? When Zuko left his home, Mai didn't visit the castle any longer. Ty Lee ran away short after and Mai moved away.

The girl sighed deep and hoped for good news, news that her family could return home. Mai looked carefully at her old 'friend', she hadn't changed much. She still has that same grin. There was always something unreliable about her, she was somewhat questionable.

The girl had never seen Azula as a true friend, she had a difficult personality. She was sometimes the most awesome person to be around with but that could change in a second. Then she was unbearable and intolerable.

She bowed before the princess, such as the etiquette prescribes. "Please tell me you're here to kill me." Mai looked up and gave Azula a tiny smile. She didn't care about what others thought of her, she had no fears for Azula.

Azula glared over Mai with a grin, she appreciated her sense of dark humor along with her loyalty. They both laughed and hugged. "It's great to see you, Mai."

Ty Lee ran to her best friend and hugged her. Mai was surprised; she had never expected Ty Lee here. She had missed Ty Lee; she was so different and understanding. "I thought you ran off and joined the circus? You said it was your calling."

"Well, Azula called a little louder." Ty Lee answered with a big smile.

Azula took her two friends by their shoulders. "I have a mission and I need you both."

Mai's prayers where heard and she didn't need time to think. "Count me in! I'll do anything to get out of this place."

Princess Azula grinned and knew that these two girls were a good choice. She had chosen them as friends when they where kids. She was smart and strategic, Mai and Ty Lee have great and unique talents that Azula ailed, she could learn from them. These two girls have a poor family life, they aren't happy and Azula can benefit that situation.

A long day had passed today, the girls walked out of Omashu. Mai glared above to the governor's house and knew that she hadn't another choice. She might have hurt her parents today, but this future wasn't hers.

"Mai? … Mai? You must pay attention!" Azula replied impatient.

The governor's daughter turned her head slowly and glared at the Princess face. "Excuse me…"

"Where was I?"

"You where planning the mission… hunting Zuko and Iroh." Ty Lee replied.

Mai froze her expressions and frowned her lip. "So, we're tracking down your brother and Uncle, huh?"

Ty Lee grinned and couldn't help. "It'll be interesting to see Zuko again, won't it, Mai?" The pink girl and Azula began to giggle; they both knew how much she loved this boy in the past.

Mai didn't answer she turned her gaze to the other side and smiled by hearing his name.

"It's not just Zuko and Iroh. We have a third target now..." Azula replied with arrogance. "The avatar!"

The two girls planned their future plans, while Mai glared over the environment. She needed to be smart now, she needed to keep her feelings for Zuko as a secret. They couldn't know about it, Mai didn't knew what would happen when she found him again. She couldn't hurt him, capture him, and bring him home to Fire Lord Ozai.

Zuko could have change in those three years,
but she couldn't betray him.