Author's Notes: I know I'm kinda posting fast, but I really wanna finish up with this story and start a new one. (Me equals anti-multitasking Waffle) Oh, and by the way, Story Alerts is really convenient... Three Days Grace still rocks. Im listening to them right now. The song coincidently reminds me of this chapter... And, it may be just because Im posting fast, but... where are all my lovely reviewers?

Deds: Zuko, my newest reviewer Orange Ninja, and my most constant reviewer celtic goddess of fertility. Zuko...because I love him...

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Dont rub it in.

Zuko was the first one to speak, snapping me out of my trance. "We can, uh, go... now," he said, turning to me.

"Oh – yeah, sure..." We walked into a clearing, forest and trees ahead of us. Zuko seemed to know where he was going; I however, had no clue. I looked behind me, only to see the rest of Zuko's crew marching along. In front was the old man, running toward us carrying an oversized piece of cloth and several wooden poles.

"Zu – Zu..." the man said, keeling over, panting and dropping the pile on the ground. "You...her...tent..." The man collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. Geez, the guy had only run a quarter mile!

"Uncle Iroh," Zuko said, offering him a hand.

"Ok..." Iroh held his chest and started to talk real English. "Zuko, you will be putting up camp with your little friend here. You take these," he said, handing us the pile. It contained a jumble of things, most likely a tent and a pack of supplies. Why did we need these? Was the search really this serious? From the look on Zuko's face, he was thinking the same.

"Uncle, I'm sure we won't need all this. The Avatar—,"

"I've been thinking, that you will be more successful in your search if go alone." Zuko pointed to me and started to say something, but Iroh turned and left. He soon returned with a guard, carrying a bow and quiver of arrows, broadswords, a package messily wrapped in brown paper, and a sealed letter. He handed the items to Zuko, who stumbled under the weight of them.

"Here," I said, offering to take some of the things off his hands. I took the letter and bow. I knew those things, they were mine...

Stolen and intercepted, but mine.

I wanted desperately to ask what we were going to do, why we were camping out alone, and a thousand other things, but Zuko started walking into the forest and away from the crew before I could open my mouth.

I looked over my shoulder. The neat lineup of Zuko's men marched along to somewhere where they were needed. One man strayed away, and I could tell by his walk that he was in grief... Rontu. I turned to the front again and closed my eyes.

Zuko and I reframed from all conversation. Maybe he was being all serious, or maybe both of us were unexplainably tired. We had probably walked five miles or so, and by the first my arms and legs ached.
Zuko strode forward, the items neatly tucked under his arm. He kept his eyes on the map at all times, but occasionally took a hurried look to the side. One time I caught his eyes; they were filled with worry.

"Zuko?"

He mumbled in response. "Do you... er... know where we're going?" My heart raced as Moody did not say anything.

We were lost.

I jogged to catch up beside him. Our paces-of both heart and stride- were quickening at a significant rate. I stumbled a couple times over some sticks and stones as I looked over at the map. "Here," I said. "Let me see it." Reluctantly, Moody handed over the ripped and tattered map and set it in my hands. I poured over it with great interest in an effort to find where we were. I looked over my shoulder and to the sides over and over, checking for any landmarks; anything, all the while moving forward. "Um... I'm not guessing you know much about reading maps." I could almost feel the cold from the ice of his stare without looking at him. I knew as much as Moody did about where we were- Nothing at all. Hopeless, I handed the map back to Zuko.

A heavy blanket of chilly night fell upon us, only adding onto the heavy weight of worry and stress. Zuko was following the Avatar, and I was following Zuko. And if the Avatar is nowhere to be found, we'll be lost forever. We were now officially hopeless.

The whole time we'd traveled in thick forests and trees. It seemed impossible that there wasn't a simple clearing for at least ten miles. –Why- did Moody have to pick –this- path? I just stared down at the ground, Zuko stared ahead, either way pitch blackness. I swatted unseen wasps off my face- again- and hoped for luck. Any luck at all. At that moment, a dingy ship seemed like a luxurious vacation.

My eyelids became progressively heavy; my shoulders sunk low. I was starving, aching, and tired all at once. This was officially the worst day ever, I told myself. I knew, of course, this probably wasn't true. But doesn't feeling sorry for yourself always make you feel better? With me it sure does.

The moon cowered behind the towering trees, dimming any path of any light that would come through. I was so tired; walking through the trees -for the sixth hour in a row- seemed like an out of body experience. Because when you don't get what you want, you get experience.

Uurrggh. My stomach yelled at me again for some food. It had told me so many times tonight, but I didn't feel like ignoring it anymore. "Hey Zuko..." I quietly spoke, "Can we eat something?"

"N-... Yeah," he muttered. Without stopping, he reached behind his shoulder and extracted a roll from his pack. He held it over one hand, where he warmed it with a dim flame. He stopped, turned, and handed it to me. "Here."

I stopped walking to take it. I paused with the roll half-way to my mouth to ask Zuko a question. "Why did you make it warm?"

"Well... it tastes good warm. And it's cold tonight."

I absorbed those few words that he said. "...Thanks."

Though my vision was blurred, I could tell that it was lighter. It was still nighttime though, and the moon was still out. I gathered myself to look around, expectedly at the trees, but there were none in sight. None.

In my head I was screaming, "Hell. Yes." I would've actually screamed it, but my body wouldn't let me.

A clearing.

Camp.

Sleep.

Finally.

I gathered all my energy to run to the center of the clearing, and immediately collapsed into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I awoke the next day in the early afternoon, camp fully set, a river rushing near me, Zuko leaning against a rock, a blanket carefully laid over me and a pillow under my head. He had done all this, by himself... I was impressed.

Slowly, I got up and folded the blanket neatly and put it in the pile of other supplies. I found a small layout of food –some sort of messy scrambled eggs and a burnt piece of toast-the poor guy must've fallen asleep while toasting it- presumably my breakfast. I took the plate and walked over to Zuko. He took no notice that I was there, and just kept staring into space. I sat next to him and sat the plate on my lap.

"Hey," I said.

Zuko mumbled something back.

"So... whatcha been doing?"

Moody didn't answer.

"I see you've been working out here. Aren't you tired?" I asked, looking over at him.

"Guess so," he muttered.

"Have you had anything to eat?" I threw yet another question at him. This time, his stomach answered with a hungry growl. "Here," I said, ripping off a piece of bread and handing it to him. Zuko reluctantly took it and ate it in small, unenthusiastic bites. I finished my breakfast before Zuko had finished half his piece. I moved my plate in front of me and looked to both sides of me. Slowly, I stood up and walked to the center of the area. I lay down on my back, and placed my hands behind my head.

Something like the sound of a hundred flapping wings came from over-head. I sat up, and found a huge flock of ravens gliding through the sky. They only came around once every year, and coincidentally on the same day of the year as the day of my birth. "Hey Zuko..." I called, eyes still fixed on the sky. "What's today?"

"I don't know...somewhere around the middle of August." His voice was airy and carried a heavy sense of tiredness.

"Ok; Thanks."
I reached for a nearby twig, and slowly etched a rough oval into the earth. Within it, I drew sixteen little candles. I made a wish to myself and softly, I blew on the picture, some of the dirt smearing.

Please let my life always be worth living.

A clearly exhausted voice carried from across the area. "Happy birthday, Mika."
I couldn't help but grinning. It had been so long since anybody besides myself had told me that. At home, times were so hard that my mother barely had the time to acknowledge me.

I turned back to Zuko –a peaceful, serene, sleeping Zuko. His head was rested on his shoulder; his back still upright on the rock. I grabbed a pillow and carefully tucked it behind his head. Zuko stirred, and went back to sleep. I just stood back, and watched.

I examined the way his chest rose and fall so slowly; how still he was. Nothing could bother him, not even me. I slowly strode to the pile of supplies, a gentle smile on my face. I took in my hand the broadswords and package.

I set down the package for a moment, and admired the broadswords. They reflected the sunlight, creating a glistening shine. They were so... I couldn't find a word for it. The craftsmanship of the weapon was better than any that I had ever seen in my life. I would have taken them and hidden them to keep for myself, but I had already taken the dagger AND bow, so that would be kind of selfish.

I held them by the handles and assumed some kind of pose; one sword above my head, the other stuck out in front of me. I had never been taught to use broadswords, though Haka-Sai knew how. He said he wouldn't teach me because I was too young. Sometimes, I didn't understand him.

I also didn't understand why only the handles were warm.

Carefully, I set them back down and picked up the package. It was somewhat flat, and fitted loose around whatever was in there. The brown paper crinkled as I examined it, turning it over and over in my hands. I looked around cautiously to see if anyone might see me, and slowly untied the string, opening the package concealing the mystery.

It had been opened before.

My eyes widened. I had seen this, this on a man in the wanted posters. The broadswords too...

My eyes quickly averted to Zuko. He couldn't be...

Nervous, I flipped the object over in my hands again, and again. I put it up to my face; some sort of trance upon me. It was like I was wearing some spiritual artifact. It was just so unreal...

It was a mask of a Spirit- the Blue Spirit.

Lightly, I tied the string to the mask behind my head. I put the broadswords side by side, and looked around. These things had committed terrible crimes... the Blue Spirit was an enemy of the Fire Nation! I thought. But Zuko was the prince of the Fire Nation... It made no sense! Had someone snuck these things into the pile of supplies? Was Iroh even crazier than I used to think?

I took a sword in my left hand and, in all my confusion, stuck the nearest tree with all my might. The blade sliced right through the bark; the vibrations shaking the sword. Now calm, I closed my eyes and walked over to wrench the sword out of the tree.

I don't know why, but I left the mask on. It felt nice; kind of mystical. An tresure you might call it.

I examined the broadsword to see what damage I had done. I was surprised to see that only a few small scratches had been etched on the blade. Zuko won't be happy about this... I wiped off the sword with the corner of my shirt, when I jumped back.

"What are you doing?"

I turned to see who had spoken, though I already knew who. I said nothing, but nursed my hand: it had been cut by the sword as I jumped back, and it didn't look that great. Blood trickled across the length of my hand, staining the cuffs of my sleeve. It stung horribly.

I fumbled with the strings of the mask, trying to untie it one-handedly. After an endless five minutes, I managed to see Zuko staring at me, a mixture of fury and utter fear embedded in his eyes. I put all my effort into avoiding them.

I held the mask out toward Zuko, and edged my way around him. "I...I'm sorry, Zuko!" What was I supposed to say?

I hoped with all my soul that he would forgive me in the slightest.

He lunged at the mask - his mask. I could just see the frustration, even the slightest hint of fear, boiling up behind his eyes. I actually managed to see a flame exit his mouth. He looked away from me and muttered something that I could just barely understand. "It's Ok." But he didn't sound like he meant it.

Did he think I would blow his secret? Reveal to the Fire Nation -everyone- the identity of the Blue Spirit? I could.

But I wasn't sure if I would. It was his secret, and secrets can be kept.

As Zuko stormed away, I called him. "I won't tell." He stopped in his tracks and nodded slightly, never turning his head. And as he walked away, I could tell the worry had left his stride. As he sat down against a tree, I could see a faintest smile lingering on his lips.

I didn't know how to feel about keeping Zuko's secret. Yeah, he was a criminal, but everyone makes mistakes! I know I can see the good inside of him.
I couldn't really figure out what I was feeling exactly, but I knew that a good feeling was there.

I went to the supply pile to bandage my cut before walking quietly to the river. I splashed icy water on my face then pulled all my hair down over my head, revealing the back of my neck. I laid a wet hand on my neck, and let the cold refresh me.

I never thought about my scar until now. The one on the back of my neck.

I look into his golden eyes, eyes of pure hatred and tyranny. He lashes me with a red flame, hitting me right in the back of my neck. I am keeled over, white-pain blinding me. The prince stands over me, kicking me in my side. A burning mist of flame surrounds me, everywhere. There is no escaping. I am alone, the enemy and I. I gasp for air one last time, but it is not enough. I fall into a world of darkness. 'Let me die...'

I came back into the harsh, real world, still leaning over the water. I wiped away a salty tear, and stood up.

Everyone makes mistakes. I know I can see the good inside of him...

I brushed the grass from my knees. I tied my hair up on top of my head in a sloppy bun, and walked over to the supplies. I took half the food store and a water canteen, and set them on top of a blanket. I stole the map and threw it in there too. I slung my bow and a quiver of arrows over my shoulder and stored the letter from that Messenger Hawk in my robe. I took the canteen and dipped it in the river, filling it to the brim. I tightened the lid, and put it alongside everything else. I found a long, straight tree branch, and tied the blanket up on the end, making a pouch for everything inside. I threw my cloak around my shoulders.

With a knot in my throat, and an empty feeling in my stomach, I turned away from Zuko, and walked. Away from the enemy.

But sometimes good wasn't enough.