Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Nickelodeon

"Looks like we're safe." Sokka said. "Those Fire Nation freaks are long gone by now."

The two siblings were exhausted, but they couldn't land for the night until they knew they wouldn't be caught in their sleep.

Katara turned to the newly-revealed Avatar. He looked tired and sad, not to mention exhausted. "Do you want to talk about it, Aang?"

The boy sighed. "This isn't right. Before I was frozen, I had so many friends in the Fire Nation. They were all about progress and doing what was honorable. I can't believe they would…"

"I'm sorry, Aang." Katara said. "I wish we could've lived in a time like that, when everything was so peaceful and we didn't have to fear Firebenders."

"Maybe someday we can, ya know?" Sokka said suddenly. "Once you figure this Avatar thing out, you can take down the Fire Lord and his jerkbender army, replace them with Firebenders who aren't so... Firebender-y, and me and Katara can go back home and see dad again."

Aang smiles a little. "Yeah, Sokka. Maybe you're right.

"Look at you, Sokka." Katara said. "Already warming up to Aang."

"Look, I don't fully trust you yet. I wouldn't be doing my job if I did, but I'm getting there. Now will you two let me sleep?"

"I can't believe Commander Zhao would dishonor himself like that." Zuko said. Winning an Agni Kai against an experienced Fire Nation Commander was no small feat. But the moment was quickly tarnished when the man tried to attack Zuko after the fight had ended.

"I can. Mai replied, lightly touching her scar. "The guy's a jerk."

"If it isn't the Prince Zuko and the slightly-overcooked exile."

"Captain Zhao…" iroh warned, not willing to let either of them be harassed.

Zuko sighed. "I guess. I can't believe my father would let a guy like him represent our nation. Attacking someone defenseless out of anger? That's…"

"What?" Mai asked, wondering if she was the only one seeing the irony of that statement.

"It's nothing. Nevermind." Zuko couldn't doubt his father. It was his own fault Mai was hurt. He should've fought back. He shouldn't have spoken out in the meeting. He should've been a son worthy of being respected and loved like Azula was. He wouldn't shift the blame to his father, who was only doing what he had to as the Fire Lord.

"We need to hurry." Zuko said, trying to change the conversation. "Before long, everyone in the Fire Nation will be looking for the Avatar."

"I told you we shouldn't have gone into the Fire Nation!" Mai said

"I'm fine, Mai." Zuko reassured. "Roku broke Zhao's chains and I escaped."

"And what would you have done if he hadn't? Do you think Ozai would've been happy about you breaking the terms of our banishment?"

"I was chasing our nation's greatest threat! I'm sure he'd understand."

"I don't really see him as the most understanding person. Or did I just imagine our last two or three years of suffering and relentless searching?" Mai covered her mouth, realizing what she'd said.

"Don't blame him! It's my fault!" Zuko said, almost yelling.

"Prince Zuko…" Iroh began, ready to try and convince him otherwise.

"Your fault?! Were you the one that wanted to kill an army of new recruits? Were you the one that told me to defend you? Were you the one that burned half of my face?" Mai responded. "Stop excusing Ozai's actions! You aren't the cause of all of this and you need to get it through your thick skull. I'm not going to let you die trying to fix what someone else broke!"

"You don't know father like I do!" Zuko screamed. "He's always done what he needed to for his nation. I'm sure he didn't want to hurt us! He was just doing what was best for-"

"How is hurting us best for anyone?" Mai asked. "How can you justify that?"

"I- I don't know." Zuko admitted, both on the verge of tears. "There… There has to be a reason. I- If there wasn't…"

"Why don't both of you sit down?" Iroh suggested . "We are all tired and worried for each other. We shouldn't push ourselves or each other too far." He said, looking directly at Mai.

Zuko sighed. "Yes, Uncle Iroh. You' . I'm going to my room for the night." With that, Zuko headed inside the ship, the Metal door slamming shut behind him.

"If we knew each other back then," Aang said to the newly unmasked Blue Spirit, "Do you think we could've been friends?" He half expected a fireball to be shot at him, but something about Zuko was different from other Firebenders. He spoke of honor as if it were a key part of his identity, something many Firebenders had forgotten in this era.

Zuko sighed. "Maybe we could have. Maybe in some other life." Aang smiled for a moment. "But we can't. I need to capture you. If I don't, Mai and I will never be able to return home." Zuko was too tired to try and fight the Airbending prodigy.

"Mai?" Aang asked, confused.

"She's my gi- She's, uh, the girl on my ship, you know, with the knives."

"You mean scar-girl?"

"Yeah, we don't- We don't like to talk about it…" Zuko wouldn't get angry at The Avatar, he was only a kid.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I-"

"You're just a kid…" Zuko muttered.

"What?"

"It isn't fair. It never is. The only way I'll ever restore my honor and bring Mai home is by imprisoning a kid. You're no older than me and may when we…" Zuko stopped talking, not wanting to relive that nightmare again. "...Nevermind. Listen, Avatar. I helped you escape Zhao. But only so I can bring you home myself. Next time we meet, we'll be enemies." Aang nodded, and two started to pick themselves up and walk off to their respective groups.

"Hey, Zuko?" Aang said, turning around. "I really do hope you get home someday. I would give anything to be back at the Air Temples with Monk Gyatso and all my friends. I wouldn't want anyone else to go through something like that.

"Uh, yeah… Okay kid." Zuko said as he walked off, feeling more conflicted than ever.

At a Fire Nation colony, a group of masked warriors met in the center of a thick forest not far from the port.

"We have some news, Chan." A masked man said. "Rumor has it that Prince Zuko's ship has been spotted nearby."

"Interesting. Investigate these claims." A young man said.

"Yes, of course, sir." The armored warrior replied, walking off.

"Perhaps it's time we introduce our little band of 'freedom fighters' to the future rulers of the Fire Nation..."