Equivalent Exchange

Chapter Eight: Fight and Flight

The atmosphere on the deck of Zuko's ship was tense. Soldiers stood rigidly on guard, their fists raised, ready to punch out fire. Zuko's small crew was huddled in a corner, the cook wailing something about burning breakfast. Lieutenant Jee was as dignified as always and his handsome face wore an angry scowl. Jee was a military man through and through. His father and grandfather before him were military men too. He respected the institution and he tried to respect its members. But all he could do at that moment was to contemplate hitting Zhao.

Mai and Iroh sat tied up, Iroh bound with chains and Mai with rope. She was calmly trying to work her hand free enough to reach for one of her many blades. The ropes were almost excessively tight however. They dug uncomfortably into the sensitive skin of her inner wrists and she was positive there would be cuts before the ropes got removed; if they did.

"I can't get any wiggle room at all," she whispered to Iroh. "And just so you know, Zuko and I didn't do anything except fall asleep. We didn't want to do anything else."

"I doubt that's entirely true," Iroh winked. "But I suppose we have more important things to worry about right now."

"Do you think?" Mai replied bitingly.

In the centre of the deck, Zhao and Zuko stared intensely at each other. The captain's brown eyes were mocking while Zuko's gold ones blazed with determination.

"Will you accept my challenge?" Zuko demanded. "If I win, we all go free; Mai, Iroh, Jee, the rest of the crew and myself."

"And if you lose?" Zhao asked.

"If I lose, you can take me and do whatever you want."

"What about your pretty betrothed?" Zhao asked.

He leered over at Mai and she returned his gaze unflinchingly. Zhao looked away first.

"She goes free no matter what," Zuko hissed.

"That doesn't seem fair," Zhao replied with a shake of his head. "I don't accept your challenge. Men, take the girl to my quarters."

"Fine," Zuko shouted. "If you win…."

He glanced quickly over at Mai and Iroh and then down at his feet.

"If you win…"

"I'm waiting," Zhao cajoled. "And I'm getting impatient."

"If you win, you get everyone."

"Much better," the captain stated with a cruel smile. "I accept your challenge."

Zhao chuckled as he looked around the ship and took in the worried faces of Iroh and Mai.

"I don't think they have much confidence in you," he remarked. "Smart."

Zuko ignored Zhao's remark and slipped out of his tunic, baring his chest as was customary for men in an Agni Kai. It dropped to the deck, fluttering briefly in the wind and then skittering along the metal surface until it landed near Mai. She wished that she could reach it and pull it in close to her. It would smell like Zuko and she wanted very badly to hold it.

"Have faith, Mai," Iroh said softly.

The Agni Kai was an age old tradition in the Fire Nation, a way of settling disputes without negotiation or compromise. It was a serious thing and a challenge was never made lightly. At one time, back in the days when the Fire Sages had more power and influence, the Agni Kai was symbolic. Once Sozin took power, however, they became brutal spectacles, often ending in death or severe injury. Many a good man died in the arena or the courtyard in front of family and friends.

Iroh and Mai and everyone else on their side seemed to hold their breaths as they waited for the battle to begin. Slowly, Zhao removed his armor, then his tunic and then his shirt. An underling was there in a flash to grab the discarded garments. With great deliberateness, the captain pulled off his boots and sneered at his young opponent. Zuko removed his and tossed them aside. Zhao's men moved back toward the railing leaving room for the battle.

"Don't worry, men," Zhao stated. "This will be mercifully brief."

"Remember your basics, nephew. They will serve you well," Iroh called.

Zhao kneeled on the deck and Zuko followed suit. There was no gong aboard to sound. Instead, man and boy looked at each other and nodded. They rose simultaneously and the young prince fired the first shot. It blazed harmlessly by the captain who couldn't stop the smirk that twitched at his lips. He fired his own volley, a savage combination of shots that Zuko barely diffused.

"I don't think I can watch," Mai stated as she angrily twisted her hands.

"I have a good feeling," Iroh replied. "But I understand."

The opponents circled each other like animals going in for the kill or defending their territory. In fact, Zuko was defending everything that he held dear. It was a powerful motivator and Zhao would do well to remember that fact. The prince directed two shots at Zhao next, one from his fist and one from his foot, delivered in a swirling motion that took the captain off guard. Zhao's years of experience and solid training background stood him in good stead, though, and he deflected the shots.

As if deciding to end things then and there, Zhao moved forward and began to pummel Zuko with a powerful series of blasts from both fists. The prince was forced slowly backward and a quick look of panic crossed his face.

"Zuko," Mai said and inhaled deeply.

She had to force herself to stay seated. Interrupting or interfering with an Agni Kai was a serious breach of both etiquette and law. That was all they needed; an excuse for Zhao to do something terrible.

Using both hands at once, Zhao attacked the off balance prince and sent him flying backward into the wheelhouse. Zuko grunted as the air was forced out of his lungs. Moving forward, his eyes predatorial, Zhao's fist became fire and he sent the ball of flame through the air, straight at Zuko's head. The prince rolled out of the way just in time and with a flash of inspiration and instinct, swirled his legs around viciously, kicking Zhao's feet out from under him.

Mai was watching raptly now, her heart beating quickly as she realized that victory was possible. Sensing his moment, Zuko never gave Zhao a chance to recover his balance. He moved steadily toward the captain, waves of fire radiating from his feet. Zhao had nowhere to go but back. As Zuko's flames destroyed the older man's balance, Zhao began to wobble unsteadily on his feet. With a final, powerful blast, the prince catapulted the captain into the air. He landed on the deck with a loud thunk.

"Well," Zhao shouted as Zuko stood over him. "Do it."

His face was twisted angrily, brown eyes narrowed and brown hair in disarray. The pain of a death blow would be far less than the pain of humiliation he would have to suffer. Zuko looked down at Zhao and considered the man. Emotions warred on his face but in the end he turned his back and walked toward Mai and Iroh.

"Zuko," Iroh shouted. "Behind you."

Zhao, face a mask of hate and rage, sent a fire whip flying from his feet. It was headed directly for Zuko's back. As the prince turned around, he saw Lieutenant Jee place a fist over Zhao's foot and extinguish the flames. Shooting the man a grateful look, Zuko continued to Mai, untying the binds that held her. Once she was free, Mai helped with Iroh's chains. The retired general clapped Zuko on the back and pulled him into a bear hug.

"You did well, nephew," he said warmly. "I'm proud. And you have more honour than Zhao ever had."

"Do you really think so?" the prince asked disbelievingly.

"Yes," Iroh replied. "Now give Mai a hug."

Blushing, Zuko pulled Mai into his bare chest.

"What if you'd lost" she asked quietly.

"I had no choice," Zuko replied firmly. "I wasn't going to let him put his filthy hands on you."

"Or on you," Mai quipped.

"Keep hugging, you two," Iroh commanded. "And listen carefully."

The young couple looked at Iroh quizzically but held their positions. They could see Zhao's men leaving the ship via the steel bridge that spanned the gap between the two vessels. Iroh was watching them leave too.

"Zhao has no honour," Iroh began. "He proved that today. I have a very strong feeling that he will let you think you are free, then attack the ship without holding back. He's a man who wants nothing more than to move up through the ranks. He doesn't care how he gets promotions as long as he does."

"Are you sure, Uncle?" Zuko asked.

"Oh, I'm sure," Iroh replied emphatically. "As soon as all of them are off the ship, we'll begin to move. I want you and Mai to pack what's most important to you. We'll all be leaving in the small boat. We're close enough to shore to make it. After that, we run."

"Leave my ship behind," Zuko moaned.

"We have no choice, nephew. Now go!"

The pair hurried below deck and to their respective cabins without looking back. Mai packed whatever money she had left, along with some clothes, her books and her beloved hairbrush. Zuko slung his swords over his back, shoved clothes into a bag and reached for the masks that he hid under his bed. His money pouch was next along with the map Iroh had given him for his birthday. He paused to look at the book 'A World without Balance', still unread, and stuffed it in among his clothes. Grabbing his treasured heart shaped rock, he took a quick look around the cabin, shrugged and went to meet Mai.

"Iroh's got everyone down here packing now," Mai informed him.

Sure enough, it was hectic below deck. Cook was gathering bags of food, while Jee was acquiring some weapons from the hold. Iroh was supervising the activity.

"No, we won't have room for that, Cook. Jee, get your own things gathered."

Meanwhile, the retired general shoved his own valuables inside a satchel and got ready to go the lowest level of the ship.

"Come on, everyone. It won't be long."

Urgently, the odd group made its way to the ship's bottommost level.

Zhao's ship

"Ready the trebuchets," Zhao shouted to his men.

"What are you doing?" Tanaka dared to ask. "Prince Zuko won fairly. It isn't honourable to attack his ship now."

"I'm taking care of unfinished business," the captain replied coolly. "And don't question me again; not unless you want to die."

To emphasize his point, Zhao pressed his fist against Tanaka's chest and sent a surge of heat through it. Tanaka gasped at the intense pain and jerked his body backward.

"I understand, sir," he said weakly.

"That's very good, Tanaka. I want you to supervise the men. I'm going up into the wheelhouse. I'll have a much better view from there."

Zhao smiled as the first fireball made contact with Zuko's much smaller ship.

Mai careened into the hard metal of the of the ship's hallway as fireball after fireball hit their vessel. She must have cut her head. Blood dripped down the side of her face, giving her a macabre look. Zuko pulled her aside roughly and dug fingers through her hair searching for the wound, concern etched into his features.

"It's not too deep," he told her as stared down at his bloodied fingers. "I'll make that bastard pay, somehow."

"If we don't get off this sinking ship, you won't have a chance," Mai retorted. "You can check my head later."

She grabbed hold of his hand and pulled. Mai was right of course; she was right most of the time. Zuko trotted along behind her and they caught up with the rest of the group. Once in the bottom level, the engineer lowered the secondary gangplank. They were in far deeper water than they should be when performing such an operation. Cold seawater began to fill the bottom level as they climbed into the tiny ship. It had retractable tracks that allowed it to move down the gangplank and into the water.

The little vehicle was overloaded and laboured to move forward. Stray fireballs landed in the waves nearby. The engineer gave the ship full power and they progressed slowly, heading toward the nearby land.

Zhao was taking no chances. Zuko's ship was an inferno now, ready to blow.

"We can't be anywhere near that thing when it explodes," Zuko reminded the engineer.

"I know that sir," the middle aged man replied. "I'm doing the best I can."

Luck or something was on their side. As the ship went up, and the air was filled with the sound of wrenching steel, the force of the explosion propelled the little boat closer to land. Zuko looked back at his ship only once. It had been his home for seven months, in some ways a real home, more than the palace had been, at least since his mother's disappearance. What were they going to do now?

Zhao's ship, 10 hours later

Captain Zhao sat at the desk in his private office. A bottle of fire whiskey and a half empty glass perched themselves on one corner while the partially mangled bit of steel that contained the number of Zuko's ship hovered precariously on the other. Zhao marveled at his good fortune. Tanaka, most likely in an attempt to get back in his good graces, searched the waters for hours looking for that particular piece of the ship. Just when Zhao was growing impatient, Tanaka shouted triumphantly and leaned over the side of the small life craft, reaching down for the sharp edged piece.

Zhao cracked his knuckles, ran fingers down his thick sideburns and then picked up the writing brush. A clean sheet of parchment was spread out in the centre of his sturdy wood desk. He dipped the brush into a pot of ink and began to write.

My esteemed Lord Ozai,

I have successfully completed my mission. Your son, Prince Zuko, your brother, Iroh, and Lady Mai are all dead. All members of Zuko's crew are also dead. He resisted my attempts to board his ship for search and interrogation. As he made his escape attempt, I gave the word to bombard his ship with fire balls. No one could have survived the severity of the explosion that followed.

I am certain that your son was planning a rebellion of some sorts and the girl had no intentions of leaving his side. Iroh, no doubt, was the instigator of it all. Their cowardly behavior is proof enough of their disloyalty to our great nation.

In addition, I have recovered from the sea, the portion of Zuko's ship that displays its number. I will have it sent to you for your inspection.

In hopes that my service pleases you,

Your humble servant,

Captain Zhao

He looked over the letter three times before setting it aside to finish drying. Tomorrow he would send it off. If Agni was good, he would receive a promotion for all his hard work.

A wet and bedraggled group huddled together on the sandy shores of the Earth Kingdom, about ten miles west of Anshan. The small boat had limped along for hours, following the coastline and taking them closer and closer to the city they had visited just a few weeks earlier. Once the boat ran out of fuel, they steered it toward a narrow cove and then up onto the beach itself. No one was quite sure what to do now. And the shock of their stressful day had yet to wear off completely.

Zuko had his arm around Mai's shoulders. He pulled her in close and used his gift of firebending to help warm them both up. Jee and Iroh were engaged in an earnest discussion about where to spend the remainder of the night. Though the boat was still serviceable, traveling by sea was out of the question, with Zhao prowling around out there. Even hugging the coastline could be dangerous, especially in daylight.

"We'll have to leave it behind, Zuko," Iroh announced and pointed to the little vessel. "I believe that we should move inland. Jee is willing to accompany us. The crew, however, should make their way back to the Fire Nation via the port at Anshan. They were not banished and Zhao does not know who any of them are."

"Inland," Zuko mused and nodded his head. "Mai's cold. We should start a fire."

"I'm not some porcelain doll, Zuko. You don't need to give me special consideration."

"I'm just worried about you. There's that cut on your head too."

"I thought you said it wasn't bad."

"Well, it's bad enough."

He felt her head again, discovering a fair sized lump along with the gash. Mai pushed his hand away.

"I'm fine," she drawled. "I'm ready to start walking."

She picked her bag up off the damp sand and hung it over her shoulder. Looking expectantly at the rest of the group she headed away from the coast and into the unknown.

A/N: I know the chapter's a bit shorter than the last few, but it came to its natural conclusion. Many interesting things and people are up ahead. I'm excited. I hope you are too.

Thanks for reading and reviewing (those who take the time and make my day).

Alabaster