Zuko's POV.
"Can you think of any place Mai felt safe, or happy?" Katara asked with a soothing voice.
"She, she liked Omashu. She probably wouldn't be in the city, but somewhere where she could be in peace, but still go to the city daily." I guessed.
"Okay. We'll start our search there. Mai will probably change her name, and her clothes. This is going to be very difficult. We'll find her Zuko. We will." Katara put her hand on my shoulder. Just her touch made me feel so much hope. I smiled a little and tears welled up in my eyes.
Zuko, Katara, and Aang sat wondering about how they would get to Omashu before Mai got away.
"I wish I still had Appa." Aang sat still sadly.
"It's not your fault. Appa deserves to be with that herd of Sky Bison." Katara hugged Aang and Zuko's heart burned in jealousy.
Katara and Aang left Kya and Bumi with a trustworthy neighbor and packed up a suitcase with a few extra pairs of clothing, soap, Katara's comb, and some spirit water for emergencies.
They decided to walk and take their chances and try to make it in time.
Zuko stopped crying and didn't speak.
They made it to Omashu and decided to split up.
"We'll never find Mai in time unless we split up." They all agreed. It was a couple weeks after they had left and things seemed to be getting less hopeful everyday.
"I think the best way would be if Zuko and I went together and you go alone." Katara reasoned. "That way, it's evenly powered. Aang, you have the avatar state, and I think the Firelord and a master waterbender could take down Mai, or any other type of criminal or bender." She explained.
Aang looked sad but nodded. "That makes sense."
Katara's POV.
Zuko and I went towards the heart of the city, while Aang searched the city borders. I knew we would find her either way, group or split up, but this way, I got to spend some time with Zuko.
"Look, I know that Mai left you because of me." I said sadly.
Zuko looked at me. "How?"
"I feel it. I know she knows we have feelings for each other."
Zuko stopped walking and looked down. "What if we don't find them?"
I stopped and pressed my body up to his. I leaned my head on his rock solid chest. "Don't worry. I'll make sure we'll find her." I looked up into his red, hot sapphire eyes. I rose up to my tip toes, held his hands, and kissed him. He kissed me back and wrapped his arms around my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck and french kissed him.
Aang's POV.
I was upset to leave Katara with Zuko, but I had to find Mai and Honora. Being the avatar I couldn't let any crime happen under my nose. Plus, Zuko's a good friend, and it's my duty to help him.
I searched the land that surrounds Omashu and stopped to take a breather.
I could only imagine where Mai was, and what she looked like. Why did Mai leave Zuko? What could be so life changing that she left him a note and abandoned him? Then it occurred to me, why hadn't we just found June and tracked her? But it was too late now. Zuko and Katara were already in the city somewhere searching for her, and I was left alone. I kept on looking for Mai.
Zuko's POV.
I held Katara's hand and kept walking with her through the city.
"Hello, have you seen this woman anywhere?" I asked countless people and held up a painting of Mai. All hope was washing away until we found a shopkeeper who had sold her fruits days ago.
"What fruits did you sell her? Did she say where she was going?" Katara asked.
"She mentioned something about woods. I figure they're not too far from here, considering the fact she comes here every other day. She changes her outfits, but she comes in the the same baby, and attitude, like somebody burned her heart, froze the ashes, then threw them on the ground so that it would shatter into a million pieces. She just seems vengeful, and she comes back with another piercing and different hair style." The merchant pointed to the painting, "That was her first appearance though."
I shifted uncomfortably. I turned to Katara. "That's it, the woods. I bet she has a cabin there!" I turned and thanked the merchant. He just nodded back.
They found Aang pacing at the edge of a strip of woods.
"Where have you guys been?" Aang asked anxiously. He walked up to Katara and hugged and kissed her. "I was so worried!" Zuko clenched his fist.
"We know where she is." Zuko informed Aang what the merchant told them, but he left out the part about him breaking her heart.
It took them a few hours but they finally found a log cabin in the middle of the forest. They looked at the front entrance, and they saw a trail of neon paint, that led out into the clearing.
"Okay, here's the plan. Aang, you wait out here and stand as guard and defense. Zuko and I will act as an offense and get Honora. We'll call you in if we need you, or we'll give you a warning if she tries to escape." Katara explained stealthily. Zuko admired his clever and quick thinking and it took him all of his will power not to kiss her.
Aang looked frustrated and upset but he understood why he was being separated. He was their biggest weapon, and they weren't trying to hurt Mai, just get Honora from her. Aang was just a last resort.
Zuko and Katara nodded at each other and quietly walked up the steps.
"Katara,"
"Yes Zuko?"
"Remember. I know your strengths. If things go wrong, I want you to do what you can to stop her, don't hold back. And one more thing."
"Yes?" Katara whispered.
"I love you." Zuko whispered softly. Then Aang breathed it and opened the door with airbending. He walked closer to the stairs and slowly spun around, ready to launch himself at anything that moved.
Zuko barged through the door and looked around. Honora was sleeping on a pile of cushions, and Mai was nowhere in sight. Katara followed after Zuko and whispered, "Now's your chance, grab her and let's leave!".
The door shut. Mai was standing right in front of it with daggers at her fingertips. She quickly threw them in the air towards Zuko's arms and they pinned his sleeves to the wall behind him. "I see you've come looking for me... And you brought her" Mai said acknowledging to Katara with a slight tilt of her head.
"Drop the daggers Mai." Katara stared her into the eyes.
"Never." Mai darted across the room to Zuko and finger-walked on his chest, leading up to his neck. She place her hands on his shoulders and kissed his lightly on the lips. "To be honest... I still find you quite sexy."
Katara scrunched up her nose and shot a blade of ice at Mai. Mai quickly dodged and threw daggers at Katara's neck. Katara froze the daggers and melted the water, making the daggers drop in seconds. While Katara was distracted Mai threw some more daggers at her feet and Katara was pinned to the ground. All of a sudden, Zuko emerged, shirtless. He had taken off his robe to free himself. He dove to Katara's defense and quickly pulled out the daggers, and picked her up.
"I can't believe you choose her over me!" Mai shouted and threw daggers at Zuko's head. Katara slid in front of him and made a wall of ice.
Katara melted the ice and bended water at Mai's wrists, but in a second, Mai had moved to another side of the room. Mai threw daggers at her shoulders, and threw some at Zuko's pants. Pinning them both back. Mai slowly walked up to Katara and thrust out another dagger. She held it up to her neck and looked at Zuko.
"Well, well, well. Would you look at that. I guess daggers DO beat bending." She laughed evilly and moved the dagger right to Katara's skin. Katara closed her eyes, breathed in, and out, and moved her wrists.
Mai swiveled across the room awkwardly. She grunted and whimpered, "What's happening? What is this dark bending?" Katara's eyes glimmered black, and she blood bended Mai over to pull out the daggers. Katara moved Mai to the side and bent over. She made Mai kneel down, then lie down. Katara flattened out her hands and Mai passed out.
"Don't you dare." Katara said plainly. She walked towards Zuko, and pulled out the daggers. They looked at each other, and kissed again. Zuko stopped when he heard a crying noise and saw Honora. He walked towards her, and picked her up. They left quickly, and they all returned back to the cottage in Bah Sing Se a week later.
Omg, where did you all come from? Thank you so much for reading, and please review! It really helps me! Please follow and favorite if you enjoyed, and I really hope you liked it. I know a lot of people think that Katara can only bloodbend during a full moon, but I personally believe that she can. She never got direct power from the moon in the episode, "The Southern Raiders", and so why would she at all? As I said before, please review, it really does help me! Give me your opinions! New chapter coming soon! :)