Zuko could not relax. Changpu had been hurried away to the healing room as soon as they had got on top of the wall. Meanwhile, Zuko and Iroh were being brought before General Sung, flanked by four earthbenders. Iroh was still unconscious, so one of the soldiers created a stretcher from the rock to roll him along. The gesture would have been nice aside from the parts that locked around Iroh's wrists and ankles, which functioned like chains to hold him down. Zuko raised his eyebrow at the soldier.

"It's just a precaution," the man said.

Zuko blinked when his own hands were suddenly covered in glove-like handcuffs made of rock. He narrowed his eyes. These kind of cuffs were specifically designed to disable firebenders, at least from making any fire with their hands. His feet and the flames he could release from his mouth were still fair game, but he didn't need to tell them that. Still, he was surprised the Earth Kingdom soldiers were taking such measures. He would have thought it was obvious which side he and his uncle were on after battling Azula and helping to protect the wall.

"Do you really think I'm going to attack you?" Zuko asked. "I might be a firebender, but I'm not your enemy."

"Like I said," the man replied, not meeting his gaze. "It's just a precaution."

Zuko bit back his irritation. He would have liked to have told the earthbenders where they could shove their precautions. Unfortunately, he was physically drained from healing Changpu and he wasn't even sure how useful his bending would be at this point. All he could do was go along with the men for now and hope that General Sung would see reason.

It was not a cheerful prospect.

"In here," the man who had been leading them said, gesturing to the open-walled office.

Zuko walked up the steps and saw General Sung seated behind his desk. One of the commanders stood next to him. Both wore grim expressions. Scrolls littered the desk and an Earth Kingdom flag hung overhead. The green colour of the flag was a reminder that Zuko and Iroh were outsiders here. It didn't matter if they had risked their lives to protect Ba Sing Se. Firebenders were always the enemy. Somehow, Zuko had to find the right words to assure the general that this was not the case. He wished his uncle were awake.

"It seems the Avatar was keeping quite the secret from us," General Sung observed. "I understand that you and your uncle were masquerading as non-bender Earth Kingdom citizens."

"Yes." No point lying. "We thought it would be less complicated that way." Zuko raised his cuffed hands and gave the general a pointed look. "People tend to get upset when they learn we're firebenders."

"Can you blame us? You lied about your identities and were trying to get past the Outer Wall. For all we know, you and your uncle could be planning to infiltrate Ba Sing Se so that you can help the Fire Nation take over the city."

Zuko blinked. "What? Did you forget who helped your soldiers defend the wall? It was my uncle's idea to use a combined earthbending move to slow down the drill and I—"

"That could have all been staged in order to win our trust."

"Are you kidding me? Uncle risked everything to protect the wall! He had nothing to gain from such an act! He chose to help because he believed it was the right thing to do! Besides, we've been travelling with the Avatar. Shouldn't that tell you enough about where our loyalties stand? We're not your enemies!"

"The Avatar is a child," General Sung said scornfully. "Children are easily deceived."

Zuko shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Did you even see the fight on the drill? Princess Azula was aiming to kill us! If we were working together, why would she do that?"

"Interesting you say that when the only person who got hurt was an Earth Kingdom soldier," the commander standing behind Sung observed. "From what we saw, you and your uncle put on a flashy battle against the princess to make it look as if you were on our side."

"Are you stupid?" Zuko demanded. "Azula fired lightning at us both! That attack can kill a person! It almost did kill Changpu!"

The commander shrugged. "Those are just your words. No one else can verify what happened. After all, the only person left standing from that battle is you."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "Just what are you trying to imply?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Perhaps it is as you say and your uncle genuinely wanted to help stop the drill. It still makes us wonder why the person who went to meet with the princess in the first place is the only one left standing."

Zuko flinched. "I—"

"We saw the light surround the three of you," General Sung said, resting his chin on his hands and staring at Zuko intently. "You did something to both of them."

"That isn't—I wasn't trying to—"

The commander narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps it is you who is working with the princess. Perhaps you chose to take down the others because they learnt the truth and then—"

"No!" Zuko inhaled deeply, trying to force himself to calm down. It wouldn't be good if he snarled out a whole lot of flames in his frustration. "You've got it all wrong."

"Then why did you attack your uncle?" the commander countered. "The princess had left by that point, so you can't blame it on her."

Zuko hesitated.

General Sung made a gesture at the guards. "Put them both in the holding cells for now," he ordered. "Until we can verify the truth, neither of you will be leaving this place."

"Wait." Zuko swallowed and took a step forward. "I swear we aren't your enemies. Just ask the Avatar or any of the others travelling with him. They'll tell you that—"

"I don't make my decisions based on the words of children," General Sung retorted.

"You were happy to rely on those same children when your Terra Team got defeated by two teenage girls."

Splotches of pink formed on the general's cheeks. "That was different. I'm not saying the Avatar isn't powerful, but—"

"I noticed you were happy to let my uncle take control of the army when your own methods were failing as well." Scorn dripped from Zuko's voice. "But I guess it's different now that you know he's a firebender."

General Sung's eyes flashed. "Take this boy away!"

Strong hands latched onto Zuko and dragged him out of the office. Iroh was forced to follow on the makeshift stretcher. Zuko gritted his teeth. He wondered if he should regret losing his temper, but he couldn't bring himself to care. General Sung was an idiot. Zuko didn't know if it was because the general really was a self-important jerk when he wasn't being a coward or if it was just simple prejudice against firebenders that made the man act so pig-headedly. Either way, it was a pain.

"You'd better do something about this, Aang," Zuko muttered.

He would go along with the general's orders for now, knowing that resistance would only complicate matters further. Still, that didn't mean he was going to curl up in defeat should the verdict end up being unfavourable. He and his uncle could not afford to get trapped in this place. There was too much at stake: for Iroh, but also for him.

"It's because you're not normal, Zuzu. That's why Mother has Shizue watch you so closely. They both think you're a monster." An innocent smile. "Didn't you know?"

He gritted his teeth. Maybe Azula had been closer to the truth than either of them had ever realised. His sister might have been the cruel, sadistic one, but it was Zuko who had always been kept isolated. Not allowed friends, not even allowed to get too attached to a pet. Shizue and his mother must have known. That was why they had monitored him so closely.

After all, only a monster could steal someone's chi.

oOo

The Fire Nation had been forced to retreat. It should have been a time for celebrating, but the news that Zuko and Iroh had been taken prisoner had put a damper on any cheerful feelings.

Katara frowned and rested her chin on her hands. She had returned to the healing room to keep watch over Mai. With all the anti-Fire Nation sentiment going around, it had not seemed like a good idea to leave her alone. Sokka must have had the same thought, as he had passed some Earth Kingdom styled clothes that he had "borrowed" to her before going off with Aang. A curtain had been pulled around the bed and a blanket was hiding Mai's red outfit for now, but it was best to get her changed as soon as possible.

"I hope everything works out," Katara mumbled.

"Can't you go talk to yourself over someone else's bed?"

Katara's eyes brightened. "Mai! You're awake."

"Obviously."

This deadpan comment did not faze Katara. Instead, she thrust the Earth Kingdom clothes at her and told her to change. Mai scrunched her nose at the green and brown colours.

"You're going to have to hide that you're Fire Nation while you're here," Katara explained. "I don't know what the soldiers would do to you if they realised who you are."

Mai sighed. "Fine."

She snatched the clothes from Katara and shoved the blankets off her body. As the person who had treated Mai, it was reassuring to see her moving around so easily. Katara had expended a lot of energy to remove Mai's pain and quicken the healing process; however, there was still more that needed to be done. Such a terrible injury could not be healed at once. It had to be worked on in sessions. Bandages covered the left side of Mai's face for now. Unfortunately, nothing had been able to salvage her hair. One side was much shorter than the other and some parts at the front were burnt almost to the scalp.

Katara cleared her throat. "Um, about your hair—"

Mai's fingers stilled. "I'm aware that it got burnt." A twisted smile curved her lips. "I'm sure my mother would be horrified if she could see me."

Something cold and heavy settled in Katara's stomach. It was painful to watch Mai act like nothing was wrong.

"You don't need to put on a brave face, you know," Katara said softly. "It's not good to keep everything in."

Mai's gaze flicked to hers. "Mind your own business, waterbender."

"But—"

"I don't need nor want to have a heart-to-heart with you."

The words were spoken in a tone that left no room for argument. Katara folded her arms across her chest and looked the other way, tapping her foot in irritation. She had only been trying to help.

Mai finished tying the sash around her waist. The cut of her outfit seemed a bit masculine, probably because there were no females guarding the Outer Wall, but at least she didn't look like a Fire Nation citizen now. Instead, she wore a short-sleeved, brown underlayer with matching pants, and then a green, sleeveless tunic over top. The sash was also brown. It looked like the kind of thing the soldiers would have worn as casual attire.

"This is awful," Mai said.

"Deal with it." Katara stood up and gathered Mai's clothes. "I'll hide these with my things for now. You just lay low until we can get everything sorted."

Mai pursed her lips. Someone else probably would have called Katara bossy, but Mai just heaved a sigh and demanded to know how long she was expected to stay in this place. "I just helped you escape," she said in a flat voice. "It's not like I signed a scroll to pledge my loyalty or that I'm going to follow your little group forever."

Katara's hackles rose. She took back every nice thing she had thought about Mai. This girl's attitude was a pain to deal with! It was one thing to make snarky comments; it was quite another to insinuate that the Avatar's cause wasn't worth her time or that all they had done for each other meant nothing. Katara had tried so hard for Mai. It hurt to have that thrown back in her face.

Still, even as indignation swelled within her chest, she could tell that a lot of what Mai said was all bark with no bite. Mai probably felt uncomfortable and out of her element being surrounded by so many "enemies". That didn't make her general air of disinterest any less annoying though.

"I haven't finished healing you," Katara said in a voice of forced calm. "I swore that I would do my best to remove any trace of the burns. Please, be patient. We will be leaving as soon as we sort out this mess with Iroh and Zuko."

Mai perked up. "What mess?"

"They were taken prisoner after the battle. It's because they revealed they're firebenders. Now General Sung is convinced they're secretly working with the Fire Nation to infiltrate Ba Sing Se."

"Nice logic."

Katara smiled. "It is stupid," she agreed, "but General Sung is that kind of guy. My brother and Aang are trying to convince him to let them go, but—"

"You're not sure it's going to work."

"The only person the general would probably listen to is Changpu, and he's out cold." Katara sighed. "I tried to see if I could speed things up with my healing powers, but it was no good. All we can do is wait until he wakes up."

Mai's brow creased. "It seems a lot has been happening while I was asleep."

Katara nodded in a weary gesture. Many things had gone wrong today, but it could have been worse. So, so much worse. That was perhaps the only comfort. Given how close some of those encounters with Azula had been, it was a miracle that they had all made it out alive. Even the drill had been completely obliterated. Katara hated to think what would have happened had Toph not discovered the ability to bend metal.

"I want to believe that it's all going to work out," Katara said. "It has to. We've come this far."

For once, Mai didn't make a sarcastic comment. Perhaps she also wanted to believe that good efforts deserved good rewards, even if she would not admit it aloud. Zuko and Iroh had risked everything to help defend the wall against the Fire Nation army. It seemed too cruel that all of that should be ignored just because they could firebend.

oOo

Zuko stared at the walls of his cell. They were all made of stone and had been created with bending, leaving no door or any chance of escape. Only an earthbender could break out of such a prison. Through the bars to the right, he could see his uncle's slumped form. Iroh groaned, stirring a little.

"Uncle!" Zuko was on his knees in an instant, scrambling closer so that he was gripping the stone bars.

Iroh slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. He seemed frailer than usual, as if each movement took a hundred times more energy. Still, he was finally awake.

"Are you—" Zuko swallowed, trying to ease the sudden dryness in his throat "—are you okay?"

Iroh stretched to work some of the stiffness out of his muscles. "I'll live."

The words were hardly reassuring. Even his tone held a hint of a reprimand. It was clear that he was not happy, and for good reason.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said in a small voice, lowering his gaze. "It's my fault this happened."

"At least you can admit it."

Zuko flinched.

"What you did today was beyond reckless. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes." Zuko hung his head. "I really am sorry."

"I wonder about that."

Zuko glanced up in surprise.

"This is what you do, Nephew," Iroh explained in a weary voice. "You never think things through. You just make impulsive decisions and, when things go wrong, say sorry as if that will make it all better."

"I ... I know I've made a lot of mistakes, but—"

"Do you realise how lucky you were today?"

Zuko sucked in a breath.

"I warned you not to take on Azula alone. I warned you that it was better not to firebend, but even those things I could have forgiven." His voice seemed to age another ten years. "You broke your promise, Nephew. You knew the risks, yet you still chose to use fire healing."

"I'm sorry," Zuko repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You almost died today!" Iroh's words pummelled into him like a hammer. "Do you understand that? You were draining your life dry, and all I could do was watch! There was nothing I could do to stop you!"

"I know!" Zuko gasped for breath, squeezing his eyes shut. "I know," he added more softly. "I was selfish and stubborn. I thought I could make everything better, but the wound was too much for me, and then I somehow drained your energy and, and ..."

He shuddered, even as guilt and fear gnawed at his insides. His powers were so horrible. Instead of draining the last drops of his energy, he had latched onto his uncle's and started sapping away chi, absorbing it into himself like a parasite.

Warm hands closed over his own. He raised his head to see Iroh holding his hands through the bars.

"Nephew," Iroh said more gently, "I do not regret giving up my chi to save you. My only regret is that, for all the time we have spent together, you still don't consider your own life worth protecting. You still rush into danger as if you have nothing to lose."

It was as if all the breath had been knocked out of Zuko's lungs. The words, spoken so simply, were also piercing for their truth.

Iroh tightened his grip. "Understand this now: you are the world to me, Zuko. Never, ever doubt your worth. You are a son to me in everything but blood, and I will not forgive you if you get yourself killed. So, please"—he stared hard at Zuko, his eyes burning with open love—"please stop being so reckless. Please stop this habit of running into danger as if no one will care if you are gone. There are so many people who need you. I need you. The Avatar needs you. Just look at what you have done for that boy. You have helped him to grow so much as a person. Do you think he would have been happy had you got yourself killed today?"

Tears rolled down Zuko's cheeks. "I ... I don't ..."

Iroh pressed his forehead against the bars, almost touching Zuko's own. "Your life is precious. I know you feel like your family abandoned you and that you have lost your place in the world, but that doesn't mean you are not important. You are worth so much more than you realise. So, please, don't sacrifice yourself so easily. Remember that you are loved. Remember that you are needed."

Zuko trembled. His tears flowed freely, unchecked and unashamed. He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Uncle," he whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

Iroh didn't scold him this time for apologising. He understood the meaning behind the words. Instead, they clung to each other's hands, foreheads pressed against the bars in a mirror image. It was as much of an embrace as they could manage while kept in separate cells.

Zuko wasn't sure how long they remained that way, but eventually the guards returned to inform them that they were being summoned. The Avatar had been pleading their case to earn their freedom, but General Sung was still not convinced. He wanted to hear their testimonies again. Both their testimonies.

"You had better be honest this time," one of the guards warned Zuko as he led them out of the cells. "General Sung knows you're holding something back from him. He's got an instinct for this thing." A scowl. "It's probably his only skill."

The other guard coughed. "Jiro," he hissed.

Jiro cleared his throat. "I mean, uh, General Sung is a great man. Really good general. Yeah."

The other guard face-palmed.

Jiro gave up any pretence. "Look," he said in a low voice, moving closer to them. "What I'm trying to say is that I saw what you both did during the battle. You fought just as hard as us to stop the Fire Nation. If you are honest and tell General Sung what really happened on that drill, I'm sure he will realise it as well."

Iroh thanked them for their vote of confidence and assured them that he and Zuko would, of course, not hold anything back. The guards seemed satisfied with this response. Jiro took the lead and gestured for them to follow while the other guard walked at the rear. Zuko had barely taken a few steps before his uncle gripped his arm.

"Explain," Iroh said, soft enough so only Zuko could hear.

Zuko sighed and told his uncle that General Sung hadn't figured out their actual identities yet. That was the good news. Unfortunately, the general had got it stuck in his head that at least one of them was working with Azula.

"He's suspicious of me," Zuko admitted. "He saw Azula flee after you bested her, but then I healed Changpu and that knocked you out as well. I didn't want to tell him about my abilities, so I stayed silent." A crease formed on his brow. "Perhaps that was a mistake."

"No," Iroh murmured. "You were right not to say anything, especially now that we've learned what else your bending can do."

Zuko lowered his gaze. He still felt guilty that he had absorbed his uncle's chi.

"Leave this one to me," Iroh said. "I believe I can persuade the general to look more favourably upon you."

Zuko was more than happy to do so. He had never been good with words, let alone winning people over to his side. Iroh would do a much better job.

They entered the open-walled office to find General Sung still seated at his desk. Some more of the commanders had gathered. Aang and Sokka were also there, desperate to get the general to see reason. It wasn't going well.

"I'm telling you that they're not your enemies!" Aang yelled. "Why can't you see that?"

General Sung raised his hand in a shushing gesture. Aang got very red in the face and looked like he was about to explode in a burst of hot air, but Sokka pulled him back and murmured something. Aang deflated, only to brighten when he spotted Zuko and Iroh.

"Z—Lee!" he exclaimed. "Yingjie! You're here!"

Iroh smiled and nodded in greeting. "It's nice to see you again, Aang."

"Enough pleasantries," the commander standing behind Sung snapped. "Are you ready to confess now?"

Iroh blinked. "Confess? I believe you saw for yourselves that we are both firebenders. Aside from that, what else is there to say?"

General Sung rested his chin on his hands. "I would like an explanation for what happened on the drill. This boy"—he gestured at Zuko—"met with the princess. I want to know why. Who are you both? What is your purpose for coming here? And why did your nephew attack you if you are supposed to be allies against the Fire Nation?" His drooping moustache twitched. "You'll admit, Yingjie, that it is suspicious."

Zuko shifted on his feet. These were all questions that could not be answered easily.

"You're right," Iroh agreed. "It does look suspicious. The truth is that my nephew has a long history with the princess, and you have seen for yourself that he can be hot-headed and brash. He wanted to fight her on his own."

"Is this true?" General Sung demanded, shifting his attention to Zuko.

A nod. "Azula hurt someone close to me. I wanted revenge."

"Then why did you attack your uncle once Princess Azula had retreated?"

"That wasn't an attack," Iroh explained. "It's a special firebending technique that my nephew developed to lessen the effects of lightning damage." His eyes widened innocently. "You must have seen it, right? Both Changpu and I were struck with the princess's lightning." He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm afraid that, even though I managed to turn the lightning back on the princess, I still got injured." A shrug. "If I passed out, it was from simple exhaustion."

The commander narrowed his eyes at Zuko. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place?"

"I didn't think you would listen. You both seemed determined to view me as your enemy."

General Sung sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "I get the sense you're telling the truth, but something still doesn't feel right."

Zuko clenched his jaw. Geez, Jiro hadn't been kidding when he'd said General Sung had an instinct for this kind of thing. What a pain.

Iroh smiled frankly. "General Sung, my nephew and I fought beside you today so that the great walls of Ba Sing Se would not be breached. I understand that it is difficult for you to trust us after learning we are firebenders, but even you must be aware that we are not the first to renounce the Fire Lord. The legend of The Deserter is well known throughout the Earth Kingdom. We are but two travellers of the same ilk." He nodded at Aang. "We were also lucky enough to be found by the Avatar and his friends."

"It's true," Aang was quick to assure. "Yingjie and Lee are good people. They'd never work with Princess Azula."

General Sung pursed his lips. He still seemed a bit hesitant, but then footsteps hurried towards them from outside. Zuko turned his head to see Changpu holding himself up with one hand against the pillar, chest heaving and his cheeks flushed. Katara, Toph, and another person clad in green, whose face was half-covered in bandages, stood behind him.

"Am I too late?" Changpu asked. "I tried to come as fast as I could."

Something warm stirred within Zuko. Just as promised, Changpu had come to give him back-up when he needed it.

Changpu stepped forward, his expression earnest. "Please, General Sung, these men have done nothing wrong. I was there on that drill. Yingjie and Lee both fought against the princess. There was never any suggestion that they were working with her."

"You can say this for certain?"

Changpu nodded. "I would trust both these firebenders with my life." He smiled at Zuko. "In fact, it's thanks to Lee that I'm even standing here now. That's why you can't keep them imprisoned. Lee and Yingjie are not our enemies. I'd swear it on the Earth King's name."

There was a pause as everyone stared at General Sung, waiting for his verdict. Finally, he sighed and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Very well. As requested, the two firebenders named Yingjie and Lee have my permission to continue to Ba Sing Se with the Avatar."

Aang and Sokka let out a whoop of excitement.

"But," the general added, "that flying creature must stay behind."

Aang puffed his cheeks out. "What's wrong with Appa?"

"Rules must be followed," General Sung said in the manner of one repeating an age-old mantra. "That creature is a breach of protocol. I cannot allow you to take him inside the walls. When you leave Ba Sing Se, you may collect him from our custody."

Aang opened his mouth to argue, but Sokka once again pulled him aside and murmured something in his ear.

"Fine," Aang said grumpily. He pointed his finger at the general. "But you had better take good care of Appa! He needs lots of love and affection."

Changpu grinned. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he's well looked after."

Aang had to be satisfied with that, though it was obvious he was still not happy. Zuko didn't blame the kid, though his own issues pressed much more heavily on his mind. They had finally got permission to enter Ba Sing Se, all suspicion had been cleared, and now there was nothing to stop him and his uncle from getting inside the university library. Still, the whole situation reminded Zuko of how careful he would need to be in the future.

One reckless decision had started a chain of events that had quickly spiralled out of his control. If not for Changpu and Iroh's sacrifices, Zuko would not even be alive right now. It was a humbling realisation, especially after everything his uncle had told him back in the prison cell.

"You are worth so much more than you realise. So, please, don't sacrifice yourself so easily. Remember that you are loved. Remember that you are needed."

Zuko met Changpu's gaze. Some of the colour had faded from his cheeks. In fact, he looked like just standing was taking monumental effort. That idiot.

Zuko crossed to him and gripped his arm, taking on some of his weight. "Don't push yourself so hard," Zuko muttered. "You're still injured, aren't you?"

Changpu slumped a bit into him. "I couldn't just sit in bed when I found out what had happened."

Zuko made a tsking sound. "I think I almost liked it better when you just followed orders."

He got a chuckle for that.

Zuko made their excuses to the others and guided Changpu out of the office. It was his intention to take him back to the healing room and force him to rest. Still, once they were out of earshot, Zuko hesitated. There was a question that had been burning in his mind for a while now.

"Why did you take that lightning for me?" he asked in a small voice, one that was a far cry from the brash manner he often used on the soldier. "You know who I really am, right?"

"Yeah. The princess said a few things that made me realise the truth. Your uncle confirmed it when he called your name."

"Yet you still tried to protect me." Zuko shook his head. "I don't understand. Why would you do that? We barely know each other. You must have known the risk you were taking."

Changpu was quiet for a moment. "I told you that my family are pig-chicken farmers, right? We're poor—just another struggling family from the Lower Ring. No one ever expected anything from me, not even when I joined the army. I was just a guard who was there to follow orders." His green eyes fixed on Zuko. "But you taught me to listen to my heart. You believed that I could help you make a difference even when I didn't believe in myself."

Zuko blinked. He'd had no idea his words had made such an impact.

"That's why I didn't care when I learnt you're a firebender or the Fire Lord's son. You were and always will be the person who gave me the courage I needed to fight." A sad smile curved his lips. "I wasn't about to let you die right in front of me."

Something hot and suspiciously wet prickled in the corners of Zuko's eyes. He dashed a hand across his eyes and looked the other way. "Well," he said gruffly, "I, uh, am grateful that you, um, saved me." He cleared his throat. "Just don't do something like that again, okay? What would you have done if I hadn't been able to heal you?"

Changpu ruffled his hair. "Look at you getting all tongue-tied. You're really just a cute kid under all those glares, aren't you?"

"Shut up!" Zuko snapped, swatting his hands away.

Changpu smiled, but then his eyes took on a distant expression. "It all worked out, didn't it? Let's just leave it at that."

Zuko stilled. He supposed that was true. Many things had gone wrong because of his poor decisions, but somehow it had worked out in the end. At the very least, Changpu did not regret the sacrifice he had made.

"Come on," Zuko said, dragging him forward. "You still need to rest so you can heal properly. I'm not having my efforts wasted."

Changpu's smile widened. He allowed himself to be steered back to the healing room without a fuss. Zuko avoided his gaze when they parted ways, still a bit embarrassed for getting emotional, but that was okay. There was a bond between them now. That wasn't something that was going to change any time soon.

oOo

"I thought I might find you here."

Zuko turned to see the girl with the half-bandaged face that he had spotted earlier. A closer look had him pulling away from the balcony. He hadn't recognised her at first in those Earth Kingdom clothes, but the black hair that had not been burnt was still as glossy as ever and her unmarred features still struck a chord.

"Mai," he said, moving towards her. "Are you—your face, it's—"

She held up her hand to stop his fumbling speech. "I'm fine. The waterbender already took away most of the pain."

Zuko averted his gaze. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"It's my fault Azula did that to you."

Mai heaved a sigh. "Zuko, not everything revolves around you."

His gaze flickered to catch hers, but she was staring at her nails. "That wound is identical to mine," he said in a thick voice. "You can't tell me that Azula didn't do it on purpose."

"She did. I betrayed her, so she decided I deserved a punishment befitting a traitor."

Zuko clenched his hands into fists. "Then—"

"But it's not your fault. I make my own decisions, Azula makes her own decisions, and none of that has anything to do with you." She jabbed him in the chest. "So don't do your little guilty dance or think that you have to get revenge. I heard what happened earlier and, frankly, I'm not impressed."

He blinked. "W-what—"

"The only person who gets to give Azula payback for what she did to me is me." Another jab. "Got it?"

Zuko nodded.

Mai sighed. "Geez, you haven't changed a bit. You're still trying to take on other people's burdens as if they're your own."

"I—"

Her lips curved into the tiniest smile. "But I am glad we can talk to each other like this."

He closed his mouth. "I'm glad too, though I wish it was under better circumstances."

She waved a dismissive hand. "Forget about it. The waterbender seems determined to heal me anyway." Some of her composure slipped, and her voice lowered. "I mean, it's more than what you got."

He looked the other way. "I guess."

His inner fire had probably helped to lessen some of the damage, but it was true that there had been no waterbender to heal his wounds or take away his pain. Mai was lucky in that sense.

"Hey, have you still got that dagger your uncle gave you?"

Zuko frowned and removed the dagger from where it had been tucked inside his tunic. "You mean this?"

She took it from his hands and unsheathed the blade, admiring the pearly quality. Her eye—the one good one that was not covered by the bandage—met his. "Thanks."

Zuko didn't get a chance to respond. Without hesitating, she grabbed a fistful of her hair and sliced it off with one clean swipe. He watched, stunned, as the black strands fluttered from her fingers. Soon, more strands were joining the first, gathering in silky pools at her feet or getting carried off by the wind. When she offered the dagger back to him, her hair was much more even, though it was also shorter than his own.

"Here," Mai said, not showing a hint of emotion on her face.

Zuko pushed the dagger back towards her. "You keep it. You don't have a weapon, right?"

She nodded.

"Then take it. You need it more than I do."

Mai sheathed the blade. "Thank you."

Zuko watched her head back towards the healing room. He knew in that moment that Mai was much stronger than he had ever given her credit. In fact, as she strode off alone, head held high and her hair shorn, he felt that she was the embodiment of the message engraved onto the dagger.

Azula might have wounded Mai, but she had not broken her spirit. Mai would not give up, not without a fight. Zuko could appreciate that. After all, it was the same mantra that he followed.

oOo

It was quiet on the ship. The sun had set and now only the sound of waves could be heard. Azula stood alone. Her hands trembled on the railing. She had lost. That fool of an old man had overpowered her with his bending, and then the drill had been dismantled by a girl who should have been weaker than a meadow vole. So many calculations gone wrong, so many missed chances. It was unforgivable.

She tightened her grip on the railing. Her eyes narrowed, fixed on the direction of the walled city she knew was in the distance. Ba Sing Se had almost been hers. It was meant to have been the redemption she needed to keep her father's favour, for even she knew that she had let the Avatar and her treacherous relatives slip through her fingers too many times. This would have been her chance to prove she was still capable of completing the mission she had been given. Now, she squirmed at the thought of having to write another letter.

Was she going to end up being seen as useless as well? Would Father dispose of her just as he had done Zuko?

Something dark and ugly clawed at her chest. "No," she whispered.

She would not accept failure. This was a setback, but it was not the end. There were still many, many tricks up her sleeves. She just had to come up with a new plan.

Ty Lee joined her at the railing. "I guess we'll have to give up on Ba Sing Se, huh? It's a shame. I was kind of curious to see inside the city."

"Who says we're giving up?"

"But the drill has been—"

"We don't need the drill to get inside," Azula said coolly.

She had spent her childhood studying battle strategies and how to win a war. If sheer force and numbers couldn't break through the wall, then she would just have to take the city down from the inside. A whole army could not slip through the cracks in Ba Sing Se's walls, but two people definitely could. Even now, the plan was taking shape in Azula's mind, showing her how she could use the city's defences and sense of security against itself.

Her mouth curved into a sharp smile. She had underestimated her enemies this time, but that was a mistake she would not make again. If she just stayed calm and stuck to her plan, everything would work out just the way she wanted.

"I hope your acting skills are as good as your acrobatic ones," Azula said, releasing the railing to face her friend.

Ty Lee tilted her head. "Why?"

"Because we're about to become Earth Kingdom refugees."

They'd need to be patient and do some reconnaissance first—maybe forge a few documents—but Azula believed the effort would pay off. Plus, she had her emotions under control this time. She could do this.

"I wonder if we'll see Zuko and Mai again," Ty Lee mused. "I kind of hope we don't have to fight against them."

Azula flinched, though the motion was infinitesimal. The ugly, primal thing inside her rattled against its cage. She felt like it was taunting her, as if to prove that her control was not as iron-tight as she wanted to believe. Just hearing Mai's name made her want to smash something; it was even worse when her brother was mentioned.

So like Zuko. Always, always digging his way in deeper. She hated him so much—hated him even more because, though she had tried so hard to squeeze all affection for him out of her heart, he still had the power to shake her equanimity. If only she could just get rid of him. Maybe then their mother's voice would finally leave her alone. Maybe the festering bundle of emotions that threatened to spill out of her would finally go away.

Maybe she would stop feeling so fractured.

"Forget about them for now," Azula said, forcing her unsettled thoughts back into line. "We just need to focus on getting inside Ba Sing Se."

She had a mission to complete. Nothing was going to get in her way. Not this time.