Hello people of earth who have computers, Internet and access to this site! I have the next chapter! BTW, last chapter's scene has a "matching picture" with it. If you want to see it, tell me in a review and I'll reply with a link. The title's pretty self-explanatory.

Now with that out of the way, I DON'T OWN AVATAR! Yeah, just wanted to do that another way.

Ages are one year older; Zuko- 10, Mai andTy Lee- 9, Azula- 8 ('till next chapter)

Chapter 15: Where's Mom?

It's been exactly a year since the play at Fire Nation Elementary. But ever since Zuko had kissed Mai- or Mai kissed Zuko, either way they had both somewhat enjoyed it- neither of them had brought it up, or mentioned it. At all. Even Azula and Ty Lee would either avoid the subject, or pretend it never even happened. This sort of eased the tension.

So that was it. It "never happened". Although every time they were together, they couldn't help but at least remember the feeling

Now it was almost midnight, and yet nobody was really asleep in the royal palace. Azula was up doing whatever it is she does at this time in her room, Ursa and Ozai were apparently up as well, and this is what was keeping Zuko wide awake.

From his room he could hear talking. The first one was his father's loud, controlling voice echoing throughout the hallways. The second one sounded like his mother trying to get Ozai to be quieter. Well, it worked- because now those voices were slightly softer. Curious, Zuko stood up from his bed and lightly pressed his ear to the huge oak double-door to hear clearer.

Nope. That did no good. From there, all he heard were barely whispers from that distance. Frustrated, he walked back to his bed and plopped down, tired- it had been a long day. After hearing a few more words, he fell asleep.

--

Morning.

Zuko slowly opened his eyes, unwillingly, to see he was surrounded by the comfort of his own room. But something didn't feel right. Getting up, he ran out the door- still in his pajamas- trying to figure out what was wrong. As he made his way through the dark hallways, his mind was racing. Then it hit him. No- not literally, but he knew.

Ursa.

Quickly, he changed course and headed for his mother's room. Eventually after numerous turns in the hallways, he now stood in front of a pair of doors similar to his. Taking a deep breath in, he pushed the doors open. They slowly creaked open as he looked around.

Much to his dismay- but not to his surprise, nothing was there. Nope. Nothing. Literally. All that was left in the room was a large queen-sized bed that stood in the middle of the room, and a mirror wall on one side.

But it wasn't right- this wasn't what the room normally looks like. All of the princess' stuff was gone. All her clothes, accessories, anything else she owned. It wasn't there. Shocked, Zuko sat down on the bed, still denying it.

Maybe she just switched rooms. Frantically, the young prince bolted out the door.

"Mom?!" he yelled, his little 10-year-old voice echoing through the palace's corridors. "MOM!" he tried again, still running. Soon enough, his short legs couldn't run any father. Exhausted, he collapsed on his knees somewhere in the northern buildings.

"So, whatcha doing?" a small feminine voice sounded from above him. He looked up to see his sister looking back down at his with her hands set on her hips, not even a hint of worry or hurt in her facial features.

"Where's mom?" he asked suddenly.

"I don't know," she shrugged. Zuko was sure she was just teasing now. "I think she was...banished?" a small smile appeared on her lips. Zuko frowned at this.

"W-what?" he stammered.

"You heard me. She was banished." the girl repeated, smirking. Zuko looked back down to the floor, still breathing heavy from all those flights of stairs and endless hallways. "Now get up, get over it, and get out of here." she ordered.

"Why?"

"Because Mai and Ty Lee are here, and we don't want you around." she explained. "Well at least I don't..."

"Whatever," he shot back, apparently ticked off at everything she just said. Right then, Mai walked through the front door and approached the two.

"Azula, Ty Lee's stuck in the tree again..." she told her friend. "Only this time it was my fault." she put her hands up, afraid Azula would think she was blaming her for Ty Lee's problem.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Uh...help?" Mai suggested. Azula rolled her eyes and ran out the door. Mai looked over to her right to see the the deeply troubled prince. "What's wrong?" she asked. This snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" he replied. "Oh, nothing...have you seem my mom?" For a moment she thought he'd changed the subject.

"No," she answered.

"Azula said she was banished..." he looked away as a tear slowly ran down his cheek. "Last night I heard my parents talking- well, yelling. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I was really tired so I fell asleep anyway."

"Oh," she felt really bad for him, knowing his mother was one of the only people he could turn to.

"And this morning, I couldn't find her." he continued. "Azula just told me she was banished."

"Well you know...I'm still here for you," she said sincerely. Apparently, this was good enough for him. He turned to face her, a small smile on his face as his arms went from his side to around her mid-section.

"Thanks," Mai could feel her cheeks heat up, clearly meaning she was now blushing. He pulled away once Azula had walked into the scene. She paused for a moment before asked them the most random question.

"Do either of you have a bat?"

"Why a bat?" Mai asked, surprised.

Suddenly, they heard yell followed by a loud splash. The three remained quiet and motionless until a soaking wet, leaf/dirt-covered Ty Lee stomped into the scene. Zuko couldn't help but laugh at this. "This isn't funny!" she complained, getting him to stop laughing and look away.

"It's pretty funny from here..." Azula comented seeing that her hair was disheveled as well as her clothes were dripping with wet leaves. Ty Lee frowned/pouted as Mai escorted her out the door they had both came in.

Without another word, Zuko walked off leaving his sister to go outside with her friends. Now with Ursa gone, who knows what kind of trouble Zuko could be getting into all the time. Right now, Mai was the only person keeping him from running away, and/or jumping off a cliff...

Yeah, I'd have to admit that last line is a bit depressing ;). Well, 15+ chapters to go! Better get working! -starts typing furiously on laptop before school starts- BTW, got any more ideas for a writter? Next chapter will be Azula's birthday and stuff. That'll be interesting...

-Black5Belt