Mai and Zuko sat on the balcony, overlooking Caldera city, and watched the sun set and the population begin trickling home.

"I used to say I hated sunsets," Mai said.

"Do you not any more?"

"Well, when you spend months without seeing any, it tends to leave you with a new appreciation for them."

Zuko laughed. "But I like it when you hate things, and now you go around liking them? Where's the Mai I used to know?"

"Like is a strong word. It's more like 'not hate'".

"There she is."

"Unless it's you. Its definitely more than 'not hate' with you."

"It's more than that with you too. And I think I like this new Mai." It was true. Even now, Zuko was rarely truly happy, even though he had supposedly achieved everything he had been working for for the past three years. Those times when he was were when he was with Mai.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the sun sink below the horizon. Eventually the yellow of the sunset sky was replaced by the dark of night, overlaid with a patchwork of stars.

After a while, Mai got bored of this view. "Shall we go inside? It's cold out here."

Zuko readily agreed, and they got up and went inside. Mai's house was reasonably large, a benefit of being the daughter of a noble family, and staffed by servants who attended to their every whim. However, they had all been sent home for the night and her family was away, her father having been posted to the colonies. Mai herself had not gone because her parents had suddenly become overprotective following her return from Earth Kingdom prison and refused to put her in any situation where that might happen again.

Zuko knew that their worry was misplaced. Mai was the most dangerous non-bender he knew, with the possible exception of her friend Ty Lee. He had seen what she could do with knives; the technique was pretty, the results often weren't. That dictated her choice of clothing, the baggy sleeves and long robes she wore specifically chosen for their ability to conceal her sharp projectiles.

"What do you want to do now?" He asked.

"I'm sure we'll think of something," Mai replied, but before they could there was a knock on the door.

"I'm not expecting anyone." Mai sounded confused.

"It might be someone sent by Ozai to check on me. Probably not, but anything's possible."

In the event, when they opened the door, they were confronted by Azula. She seemed downcast.

"Zuko, I need to ask you something."

This was also new behaviour for Azula. She had never needed to ask him anything.

"What is it?" Zuko beckoned her to come in and closed the door after her."

"You lost your honour. You were exiled from the Fire Nation and lost father's favour. How did you get it back?"

"Father gave it back after I helped you escape from that prison in Ba Sing Se."

"Well yes, I know that, but how did you actually get it back? You seem happy, you're in father's favour, and you have people who care about you."

Appearances can be deceptive, Zuko thought bitterly. Of the three statements Azula had just made, only one was true. He may have seemed happy, but he definitely wasn't- at least not unless Mai was involved. He may have seemed to be in father's favour, but Ozai still didn't tell him anything. Ozai possibly feared a repeat of the fateful meeting that had resulted in his banishment all those years ago.

"You have people who care about you."

"Who?"

"Us."

"And Ty Lee," Mai added.

"And I'm sure father does... very, very deep down," although Zuko didn't believe those words as he said them. Ozai's love was dictated by the usefulness of those he claimed to love; as soon as Zuko had demonstrated his competence as the Blue Spirit he had suddenly received it, and as soon as Azula had demonstrated what Ozai perceived as weakness, it had vanished into thin air for her. She would likely not get it back until she did something to prove her worth to him again.

It seemed that Azula had come seeking validation, and now that she had it she perked up considerably. "Great! I'm so glad you think that way!"

Zuko noticed the failure to return the sentiment, but that was something Azula had never done anyway. To say anything would have been rude.

"So what were you two doing here then? Something fun I hope."

"We watched the sun go down for a bit, and we were just deciding what to do when you turned up."

"Right. Well, don't let me stop you," Azula said in a tone that suggested she had guessed what they had been about to do. She turned to leave, wishing to have no part of it. Before she did though, she turned at the doorway.

"Oh, by the way, since you're so obsessed by the Avatar, I thought you would like to know that father has just begun hunting for the next one."

Wait, how come she gets told and I don't?

"How do you know that? I thought Ozai wasn't telling you anything?"

"I have my ways, brother."

And with that Azula was gone, leaving Zuko to weigh up the implications of what she had told them.

(Author's note: I know there's been a lot of talking and thinking in the past three chapters and not a lot of doing, but rest assured that this is about to change.)